Vice President Kamala Harris, known for her progressive stance, has a history of advocating for sanctuary cities during her tenure as the District Attorney of San Francisco.
As she steps into the role of the probable Democratic nominee for the 2024 race, following President Joe Biden's withdrawal, her past actions are being scrutinized more closely.
Harris, during her 2004 campaign as DA, pledged never to enforce the death penalty and to maintain San Francisco's sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants.
She contended that these policies enabled undocumented immigrants to report crimes without the fear of deportation due to their immigration status.
Harris has previously dismissed the border wall as a "vanity project" and downplayed illegal immigration as "not an emergency."
However, as the Democratic nominee in 2024, Harris faces a nation where illegal immigration is a significant concern. Her past decisions may come under fire as she navigates her campaign.
The Post Millennial highlighted several crimes committed by undocumented immigrants during Harris' tenure as DA, who were not deported following their offenses.
One such case involves undocumented immigrant Edwin Ramos, who committed a triple murder in 2008 in Harris' district. Ramos, known to law enforcement and previously arrested for gang-related assault and attempted robbery, was not handed over to federal authorities or ICE due to the city's policy of not questioning minors' immigration status.
Following the murders, then-Mayor Gavin Newsom revised the policy to report undocumented minors who committed crimes to federal authorities.
Danielle Bologna, a victim's family member, expressed her frustration, stating, And to think they didnt deport him back, knowing that he did not have papers and he was here illegally, it is a big issue."
Another case involved Rony Aguilera, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras. Arrested as a minor during Harris' tenure, Aguilera was not turned over to federal authorities after being found guilty of federal assault.
Released in 2007, Aguilera was later involved in the gang-related murder of Ivan Miranda in 2008, for which he received a 40-year prison sentence.
The Post Millennial reported several other cases under Harris' tenure as DA, suggesting that deportation of undocumented immigrants involved in crimes could have resulted in better outcomes for victims.
Harris' past decisions have drawn criticism, particularly since her appointment as "border czar" in 2021 by the Biden administration, tasked with addressing the "root causes" of illegal immigration.
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