House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., accused Republicans of “making up” the title of “border czar” in reference to Vice President Kamala Harris, just before six members of his House Democratic Caucus voted to criticize her handling of the migrant crisis.
“We have a single legislative item that is on the floor today … it’s a fake and fraudulent resolution cooked up, I think, by one of the representatives from New York – continues to embarrass herself regularly – that lies about the vice president,” Jeffries told reporters at his weekly press conference.
“She was never assigned the position of border czar. They’re making that up, because the extreme MAGA Republicans are in full meltdown.”
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday over a resolution condemning her over the border. (Getty Images)
The resolution was introduced by House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.
Fox News Digital reached out to her for a response to Jeffries.
Harris was tapped by President Biden in 2021 to spearhead the administration’s response to the border crisis, in particular, the root causes of mass migration from Central and South America.
Republicans have long accused Harris of not doing enough in the role, but those attacks gained new traction after the vice president was tapped to replace Biden in the November 2024 election.
Democrats and some mainstream media outlets, in response, have claimed that Harris was never given the title of “border czar” – including Axios, which referred to her that way in April 2021.
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Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico, Sunday, July 21, 2024, during their journey north toward the U.S. border. (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente) ((AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente))
But Jeffries still insisted, referring to Republicans: “They are making that up because they have no affirmative agenda, vision or track record for the American people.”
His remarks came shortly before the House passed Stefanik’s resolution – the first piece of major House legislation targeting Harris since she became Democrats’ presumptive nominee.
Half a dozen Democrats joined all voting Republicans to support the measure, which passed 220 to 196.
The House Democrats who voted for the resolution are Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Mary Peltola of Alaska, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina and Yadira Caraveo of Colorado.
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Jeffries took a swipe at House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik during his remarks. (Reuters/Mike Segar)
They’re also some of the few Democratic lawmakers who have not endorsed Harris, despite leaders like Jeffries, ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., all falling behind Biden’s chosen successor.
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During his press conference, however, Jeffries said he had not heard from any House Democrats who had issues with the way the party has handled its recent political upheaval.
“I haven’t had a single conversation with a member of the House Democratic Caucus who has expressed that they are upset with what has unfolded,” Jeffries said. “President Biden . . . as he indicated last night, was ready to make his case to the American people, decided in a selfless way to pass the torch to the next generation of Democrats, led by Vice President Harris. We are unified. The other side is falling apart.”
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