On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris had a heated exchange with Univision anchor Ilia Calderon about a visit to the Southern border.
The Tense Interview
In the interview on Thursday, Calderon pressed Harris to answer why she hasn’t visited Mexico to see herself the migrant crisis in person.
Harris told the anchor that she will eventually visit the border. However, while Harris was still talking, she heard Caderon’s delayed question, asking when is she going to the border. Apparently, this didn’t sit well with the vice president.
Harris then sternly responded: “I’m not finished” along with an awkward chuckle, raising her finger at Calderon.
The vice president continued, stating she already mentioned before that she is going to the border. Harris added that if they are going to address the issues at the border, they first have to deal with problems causing migrants to travel to the border in the first place.
Harris then mentioned her first trip as a vice president. She said the trip to Guatemala was meant to be “on the ground” in addressing “root causes” of why Guatemalans are leaving the country.
In fairness, I did not have @VP Kamala Harris hitting @iliacalderon with "I'm speaking" on my bingo card. pic.twitter.com/trCWiRxkft
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) June 10, 2021
Calderon then repeated the question, asking Harris about a date of when she’ll have a trip to the border. Harris only responded by saying she’d keep Calderon “posted.”
Harris’ scolding of the Univision host went viral on social media. People said the vice president pulled out the “I’m speaking” bingo card.
Not the first time Harris got triggered by a border-related question
This is not the first time the vice president had an awkward and heated exchange with a host during an interview.
In an interview with NBC host Lester Holt, earlier this week, Harris had a similar exchange when similarly challenged for not visiting the border to date.
Harris told Holt that “at some point,” she will go to the border. She then insisted that “they” have been to the border. The vice president later said complained about this “whole thing about the border.”
In the interview, Holt told Harris that she hadn’t been to the border. Harris responded by sarcastically stating she hadn’t been to Europe either, followed by her signature chuckle. Harris next insisted that she does not understand the point Holt was attempting to make.
Cringe. Kamala Harris doesn't get it.
Holt: "Do you have any plans to visit the border?"
Harris: "We've been to the border. We've been the border."
Holt: "YOU haven't been to the border."
Harris: "…..and I haven't been to Europe. I don't understand the point you're making." pic.twitter.com/fFXMf8X0b6
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) June 8, 2021
As Biden visits foreign leaders in Europe, Harris cannot escape the pressure from the people. She is continuously challenged to visit the border, amid the historic influx of illegal migration under her watch.
The Biden administration’s move to undo Trump-era policies incited a surge of illegal migrants at the border; this includes thousands of unaccompanied children.
According to the information provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in the month of March alone, there were 18,890 unaccompanied children apprehended at the border.
