Kelly says Harris ‘absolutely’ understands the issue on the border

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said Sunday that Vice President Harris “absolutely” understands the issues on the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Yes, she does, absolutely,” Kelly said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” when asked if she understood the border. “And I think when we talk about some of the Democrats in the United States Senate that weren’t really getting it in 2022, now they get it.”

“We would get the legislation passed, and then we could move on to some of the other stuff that Vice President Harris has talked about, which is comprehensive immigration reform,” he added, referring to the bipartisan border security deal that failed earlier this year.

Kelly was floated as a possible contender to be Harris’s running mate before she ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to be her potential vice president. Host Margaret Brennan noted that a new CBS News poll shows that 48 percent of respondents believe Harris’s administration would increase crossings at the border if she wins the White House in November.

Kelly defended Harris when Brennan asked about the recent poll.

“With regards to the border, just like so many other issues, the contrast between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris could not be more clear. Kamala Harris has supported our bipartisan border security bill that Donald Trump told Senate Republicans to run away from,” he said.

“So she’s been working on this issue. Border crossings on the Arizona border are down substantially. She’s been focused on this issue where the former president is trying to undermine our border security,” he added.