Kelly Defends Harris' Past Support for Decriminalization of Border Crossings

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly says that Vice President Kamala Harris' previous support for decriminalizing border crossings was a result of snap judgment made in the heat of a primary campaign.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly defended Vice President Kamala Harris' past support for decriminalizing illegal border crossings, claiming that she did not have enough time to fully consider her position before making a statement.

In a Tuesday interview, Kelly said that Harris only had "a half a second to think about" the issue when she expressed support for decriminalizing border crossings in 2019.

Kelly Defends Harris' Past Support for Decriminalization of Border Crossings

"You're talking about a primary in 2019 where somebody throws their hand up and you've got like a half a second to think about it," Kelly said.

Harris has previously supported decriminalizing illegal crossings and ending private detention. However, she has since reversed her stance on decriminalization, saying that she now supports a "comprehensive immigration reform" approach.

Kelly Defends Harris' Past Support for Decriminalization of Border Crossings

Kelly, a key political figure in the border and swing state, said that Trump made a mistake by not supporting the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.

Harris has spoken out multiple times in favor of decriminalizing illegal immigration and even shutting down Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Kelly Defends Harris' Past Support for Decriminalization of Border Crossings

"An undocumented immigrant is not a criminal," Harris said in 2017.

Harris had previously promised as a presidential candidate in 2019 to shut down immigration detention centers on "day one." In other remarks, she had also talked about ICE potentially starting "from scratch."

"I think there's no question that we've got to critically re-examine ICE and its role and the way that it is being administered and the work it is doing," Harris told MSNBC in 2018. "And we need to probably think about starting from scratch."

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Kelly's defense of Harris comes as the Biden administration faces criticism for its handling of the border crisis. The number of illegal border crossings has surged in recent months, and the administration has been accused of not doing enough to secure the border.

Harris has been tasked with leading the administration's efforts to address the root causes of migration from Central America. However, she has faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for her handling of the issue.

Some Democrats have accused Harris of not doing enough to address the border crisis, while some Republicans have accused her of being too lenient on illegal immigration.

Kelly's defense of Harris is likely to fuel the debate over the Biden administration's handling of the border crisis. It is also likely to be a point of contention in the upcoming midterm elections.