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Harris heads to southern border looking to flip script on immigration criticisms

Harris heads to southern border looking to flip script on immigration criticisms

Vice President Harris stops in battleground Arizona on Friday to hold a campaign event along the U.S. southern border with Mexico as the Democrat presidential nominee works to turn the issue of immigration and border security from a negative into a positive. Harris has faced frequent attacks from her Republican opponent, former President Trump, and his allies who argue she’s weak on border security, an issue that many Republicans see as the vice president’s political Achilles’ heel. Harris has faced intense criticism over the surge of migrants across the nation’s southern border during the first three years of President Biden’s administration. The Trump campaign, on the eve of Harris’ first border visit as a presidential nominee, called it a “political ploy.” But Harris, with a stop in Douglas, Arizona, aims to show that she’s better prepared than Trump to tackle the combustible issue of immigration and what Republicans have spotlighted as the crisis at the southern border. HARRIS LEANS IN ON BORDER SECURITY AND TRUMP RELISHES THE FIGHT The vice president is expected to speak about how she is pushing what she describes as the toughest bipartisan border security plan in a generation, a measure that includes new border agents and technologies to stop fentanyl trafficking. And she’s expected to reiterate her argument that Trump “has been talking a big game about securing our border, but he does not walk the walk.” CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION She has repeatedly pointed to a border security bill with some bipartisan support that had been making its way through Congress this year before Republicans turned against the measure after prompting from Trump. Harris has said that the former president “tanked the bipartisan deal because he thought it would help him win an election” and has pledged that “as the president, I will bring back the border security bill that Donald Trump killed.” Since replacing Biden atop the Democrats’ 2024 ticket more than two months ago, Harris has described herself as a former “border state prosecutor” who took on international gangs and criminal organizations behind illegal drug, gun and human trafficking across the border. The description comes as Harris and her campaign have also spotlighted a tougher stance on border security while still pushing for a pathway to citizenship for some migrants. “We need a comprehensive plan,” Harris said Wednesday in an interview with MSNBC. “That includes what we need to do to fortify not only our border but deal with the fact that we also need to create pathways for people to earn citizenship.” Biden tasked Harris in 2021 with leading the diplomatic outreach to tackle the “root causes” of migration in Central American countries. It led to her being dubbed the “border czar” both by the media and some Republicans, although the White House has rejected that description. And the vice president has been pilloried over her role as “Biden’s border czar” by Trump and his allies. Trump, as he runs to win back his old job in the White House, is calling for a major crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border and has suggested using police and the military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented migrants. Speaking at a campaign event in North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump said Harris was traveling to the southern border for “political reasons.” “When Kamala speaks about the border, her credibility is less than zero,” Trump said. “I hope you’re going to remember that on Friday. When she tells you about the border, ask her just one simple question: ‘Why didn’t you do it four years ago?’” And Trump has said the policies of the Biden-Harris administration have allowed millions of people to enter the U.S. illegally. In June, after the collapse of the bipartisan border security bill, Biden announced rules that bar migrants from being granted asylum when U.S. officials say the U.S.-Mexico border is overwhelmed. Following the implementation of the new rules through executive orders, arrests for illegal border crossings have plummeted. Polls indicate that immigration and abortion are two of the top issues on the minds of American voters, following the economy and inflation. And public opinion surveys, including those from Fox News, indicate that by double digits Americans believe Trump would do a better job than Harris handling the issue. Trump last visited the border during a stop last month in Arizona, which is one of the seven crucial battleground states that will likely determine the winner of the presidential election. Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

800-plus bills left on Newsom’s desk illustrate California’s overregulation problem: experts

800-plus bills left on Newsom’s desk illustrate California’s overregulation problem: experts

In a legislative session marked by a surge in activity, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has more than 800 bills on his docket to either sign into law or veto by next week. The sheer amount of potential new legislation is further evidence of the Golden State government’s penchant for a heavy touch when it comes to governance, according to critics. As California remains the most regulated state in the country, state lawmakers introduced over 4,400 bills for 2023-2024, eclipsing the 4,100 proposed in the 2020-2021 term, longtime Capitol lobbyist Chris Micheli noted. California public policy expert Lance Christensen warned that many of the bills introduced serve as “vanity projects” for legislators. And with the governor signing the majority, the state’s lawbook is expanding into a labyrinth of complexity that poses significant challenges for citizens and small businesses, driving up compliance costs. NEWSOM VETOES BIPARTISAN ACCOUNTABILITY LEGISLATION AIMED AT STATE SPENDING ON HOMELESSNESS CRISIS “Who has the capacity to read literally millions of pages worth of state law, let alone the millions of pages of regulations … and the answer is zero,” Christensen told Fox News Digital. “Nobody ever reads all this stuff. Very few people really understand how complex it is, and because of that, most people are breaking the law every single day, and they have no idea. “How can you manage that process without somebody else interpreting that for you? So, that increases the cost of knowledge, but it also increases the cost of compliance.” Already, Newsom has signed a package of public safety bills aimed at reducing organized retail theft. He’s also vetoed a number of progressive bills, including several that would have expanded aid to illegal immigrants through housing loans and permitted employment through the University of California (UC) system and a reparations package for Black residents. Promising to tackle the mental health crisis among young people, the blue state governor also signed a historic bill restricting cellphones in schools. NEWSOM VETOES BILL THAT WOULD LET NONCITIZEN STUDENTS WORK AT STATE’S PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES Newsom often vetoes bills if they appear redundant or the cost would further burden the state’s budget shortfall, according to a CalMatters analysis. Last year, Newsom vetoed 156 bills and signed 890, reflecting a veto rate of about 15%, similar to the previous year. His veto rate in 2021 was under 8%. From start to finish, the creation of a bill in California costs roughly $30,000, which does not include more complex legislation that takes longer to draft. Because of this, Christensen said, “money (is) being sucked out of the economy for people just simply to understand — not even comply with — but just simply understand what the legislation is.” NEWSOM’S DEEPFAKE ELECTION LAWS ARE ALREADY BEING CHALLENGED IN FEDERAL COURT Newsom has signed dozens of packages meant to fast-track certain initiatives, like expanding housing development and environmental policies.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The governor has repeatedly taken action to streamline government,” Brandon Richards, deputy director of Newsom’s rapid response team, told Fox News Digital. “He is intentional with every measure he signs into law — focusing on solving problems and supporting Californians — while recognizing that not every problem warrants a new law.”

Kamala Harris isn’t alone: Vulnerable Dems want current filibuster gone

Kamala Harris isn’t alone: Vulnerable Dems want current filibuster gone

Vice President Harris’ controversial filibuster comment isn’t out of line with a group of vulnerable Democrat senators vying to keep their seats in the upper chamber who are also willing to do away with the legislative filibuster. In fact, Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Bob Casey, D-Pa., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., all voted to change the rules in 2022 to allow a bill that would loosen federal voting requirements to be passed by a simple majority, which Democrats had in the Senate. “I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe,” Harris, a former senator, told Wisconsin Public Radio this week, referencing changing Senate rules to codify the precedent set in Roe v. Wade into law and protect the ability to get an abortion federally. SENATE PASSES FUNDING BILL WITHOUT SAVE ACT, AVOIDING POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN Immediately afterward, Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., said he would not endorse her for president: “I’m not endorsing her,” he told Fox News.  The legislative filibuster requires 60 votes to end debate on a bill and advance to a final vote. If a measure is unable to meet this threshold on a cloture vote, it cannot move forward for final passage consideration.  In 2022, both moderate Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and Manchin bucked Democrats to join Republicans in preventing the rule change that would have allowed Democrats to pass the voting requirements bill with the party’s razor-thin majority. The senators were both Democrats at the time but subsequently left the party to become independents. They each later announced they wouldn’t seek re-election.  Ahead of the filibuster standoff, Brown told one outlet in 2020, “We’ve got to eliminate the filibuster.”  Rosen remarked to another in 2021 that she supported suspending the filibuster’s rules “in the case of protecting democracy,” such as passing the voting requirements bill.  GOP SENATORS EYE COMPREHENSIVE CHINA STRATEGY TO CURB CCP INFLUENCE Also in 2021, Casey said the threshold was “an arcane Senate procedure” and added, “If the choice comes down to the filibuster or democracy, I know which side I’m on.” Tester told MSNBC during the same summer that if the filibuster continued being “weaponized,” he would be left with few choices. Baldwin backed scrapping the legislative filibuster as far back as 2013, co-sponsoring a bill to do so at the time and reinstitute a “talking filibuster.” Under this change, the 60-vote threshold or legislative filibuster would be eliminated and those who want to filibuster a measure would be required to speak on the chamber floor. If and when those lawmakers stop speaking, a final vote by simple majority would take place.  A spokesperson told Fox News Digital earlier in the year that “Senator Tester does not support ending the filibuster.” But Tester told Fox News Digital on Wednesday, “Talking filibuster, that’s what I want, period.” The talking filibuster would effectively eliminate the current legislative filibuster.  TOP SECRET SERVICE AGENT IN PITTSBURGH SAYS HE WAS KEPT IN DARK ON ‘CREDIBLE’ THREAT AHEAD OF BUTLER RALLY Casey also reiterated his interest in voting on the 60-vote rule to Fox News Digital in the spring.  Baldwin on Wednesday told Fox News Digital she agreed with Harris’ recent comment and still backs returning to the talking filibuster. In response to their interest in a talking filibuster, Manchin told Fox News Digital, “There’s only one filibuster, 60-vote threshold.” Both Brown and Rosen ignored questions about whether they agreed with Harris’ comment from Fox News Digital on Wednesday.  Representatives for Casey, Rosen and Brown did not respond to questions from Fox News Digital regarding whether they agreed with Harris or if their positions had changed. JOE MANCHIN SAYS HE WON’T ENDORSE HARRIS OVER SUPPORT FOR ELIMINATING FILIBUSTER Tester is considered the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election as top political handicappers predict a Republican win and polls show the Montana senator losing traction. The Ohio race is considered a toss-up by the Cook Political Report as Brown competes to keep his seat.  Baldwin, Casey and Rosen’s races in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Nevada are rated “Lean Democrat.”  In 2021, voters were somewhat divided on the filibuster and many were unsure what they thought about it. According to an April 2021 Fox News Poll, 27% supported eliminating the filibuster while 29% opposed doing so. However, 39% didn’t have an opinion at all.  In the aftermath of the dispute over Senate rules in early 2022, even fewer voters reported having an opinion. In a July 2022 Fox News Poll, those who supported eliminating the filibuster and those who opposed it were tied at 26% each, while nearly half, at 47%, said they didn’t have an opinion. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Trump-endorsed House candidate sounds alarm on China’s growing influence in battleground state

Trump-endorsed House candidate sounds alarm on China’s growing influence in battleground state

China’s growing influence in Michigan has brewed into a “huge issue of concern” for voters in the key battleground state, according to a Trump-backed House candidate sounding the alarm on “failed Democratic” policies in the Great Lakes State.  “This is a huge issue of concern both from national security and economic security standpoint,” Republican House candidate to represent Michigan’s Tom Barrett told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview this week. “Here in Michigan, the Democrats are giving nearly $200 million of state tax money to a Chinese-backed, Communist Party affiliated company that’s going to come to Michigan to build a battery plant. They’ve already purchased a bunch of rural farmland to go out and build a Chinese Communist Party-backed battery plant in Michigan, not far from a military installation where I trained for countless hours during my career in the Army.” Barrett is an Army veteran who previously served in Michigan’s state House and state Senate before launching his race to represent the 7th District in the U.S. House. Barrett earned Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” for the House seat earlier this year, and spoke to Fox News Digital about the top issues he’s highlighting from the campaign trail, including spiraling inflation, border policies, fentanyl overdose deaths, as well as China’s growing influence in the state.  “While families are struggling in Michigan to make ends meet and just buy groceries, pay for their home heating costs, our state government, backed by my opponent, is sending nearly $200 million of their state tax money to a Chinese communist company just so they can come here and spy on us. This is rotten to the core,” Barrett said.  MICHIGAN REPUBLICANS CONTINUE TO SPAR WITH DEMS OVER DEAL WITH CHINESE EV COMPANY IN KEY HOUSE RACE In 2022, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Gotion, a China-based manufacturer, would construct a $2.4 billion electric vehicle battery plant in a rural area of the state near Big Rapids. The announcement was met with outrage from residents, including local leaders working to reverse a water supply agreement that would have crippled the plant’s construction. Gotion sued the township, Green Charter, and notched a legal victory last month when a federal judge upheld a preliminary injunction allowing construction to continue.  Barrett’s competitor this cycle, Curtis Hertel, worked as Whitmer’s director of legislative affairs from 2015 to 2023, before serving in the state Senate.  “My opponent signed a nondisclosure agreement to negotiate sending this money to this Chinese company while he was a member of the state Senate and then later went to work as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s chief lobbyist. He’s listed in the Foreign Agents Registries Act filings with having secret conversations with this Chinese company about maneuvering through the legislature to get their funding approved,” Barrett said of his competitor and Democrats in the state.  Hertell’s campaign and Whitmer’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for contact.  Barrett pointed to remarks from former Obama administration CIA director Leon Panetta, who warned earlier this year that China would likely use the battery plant for espionage purposes.  “I don’t think there’s any question that they’re going to take advantage of that situation,” Panetta warned in January when asked about the plant during a House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party hearing. “And I think we have to be very vigilant about what the hell is going on. That’s just the way they operate. They’ll establish a manufacturing unit, they’ll establish whatever they can, and then they will use that for their own intelligence purposes. They will use that for their own economic purposes.” Barrett said the deal is not only a national security threat, but also risks American jobs.  MICHIGAN REPUBLICAN TOM BARRETT LEAPS BACK INTO CRUCIAL HOUSE RACE AFTER SLOTKIN EXIT “It is all in the pursuit of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s electric vehicle mandate that will systematically replace and eliminate existing manufacturing jobs in Michigan that make up the very fabric of our economy here. So we have a Chinese company threatening with national security concerns to replace American jobs in traditional manufacturing with electric vehicle mandates that are borne by the Biden administration. So this has so many problems. It’s an absolutely horrible deal,” he said.  “Michiganders are stepping up. They’re aware of this. It is terribly unpopular here. And we need to take this fight to the ballot box to make sure that we don’t let this go forward.” Trump joined farmers during a panel earlier this week in another battleground state, Pennsylvania, where they discussed China’s recent purchases of American farmland and again enforcing a trade deal against China that benefits American farmers.  “My first call, I’m going to call up President Xi. I’m going to say, ‘You have to honor the deal you made. We made a deal. You’d buy $50 billion worth of American farm product.’ And I guarantee you he will buy it. 100% he will buy it,” Trump said Monday during a campaign event in Smithton, Pennsylvania.  SENATE GOP UNLEASHES CAMPAIGN BLASTING DEM CANDIDATE FOR HUSH AGREEMENT INVOLVING CCP-TIED COMPANY Trump struck a trade deal with China in 2020 that included Beijing’s commitment to halt intellectual property theft, refrain from currency manipulation, cooperate in financial services and purchase an additional $200 billion of U.S. products over two years, including up to $50 billion of U.S. agriculture.  “Second thing I’m going to do is, I’m going to say you have to give the death penalty to your fentanyl dealers who are sending fentanyl. You know, in China, they give the death penalty. They don’t have a drug problem because they give the death penalty,” Trump said.  Fentanyl and overdose deaths are again one of the top concerns for Americans this election cycle, with Trump tying the fatal drug to the influx of illegal immigrants who have poured over the southern border under the Biden-Harris administration.  Barrett said his area and district are among the communities across the nation that have been rocked by the influx of the synthetic