Team Kamala: Vice President ‘Not Doing the Border’ Crisis Just Leading ‘Diplomatic Efforts’

Vice President Kamala Harris will not be in charge of handling the entire migrant crisis at the southern border, her staff said Friday.

“I will just reiterate that the vice president is not doing the border,” White House chief spokesperson Symone Sanders told reporters.

Sanders spoke briefly with reporters on a flight with the vice president to Connecticut.

She said Biden had tasked the vice president with the “diplomatic efforts” to address the root causes of migration from Latin America.

“The president asked the vice president to take on the diplomatic effort, with Mexico and countries in the northern triangle to address the root causes of migration,” she said. “There are many reasons that move these folks to make this dangerous journey.”

Sanders said Harris had made a “number of calls” on the issue but did not plan any trips to the border “in the near future.”

“This is not work that will be addressed overnight,” Sanders said. “This is a challenging situation, as you heard the vice president and president speak to but it’s it’s diplomatic work that needs to be done and Vice President Harris. Looking forward to doing it.

She said Harris had also received a briefing on the Northern Triangle since Biden tasked her with the diplomatic efforts.

“You can expect she will be speaking with leaders from the region in the near future,” she said.

Biden said Wednesday that Harris would run point on handling the migrant crisis.

“I can think of nobody who is better qualified to do this,” he said.

Biden said Harris was qualified for the job because of her record fighting organized crime and defending human rights.

“When she speaks, she speaks for me. Doesn’t have to check with me,” Biden said. “She knows what she’s doing, and I hope we can move this along.”