Tossing in the towel too, Kamala? VP flips coin to start game at Howard University and IGNORES border crisis that Biden put her in charge of as thousands of Haitian migrants flood over
Vice President Kamala Harris spent her Saturday morning at coin toss at Howard University instead of dealing with the border crisis where the number of Hiaiti migrants camping underneath a Texas bridge has swelled to more than 14,000.
Harris has been tasked by President Joe Biden to deal with the overwhelming number of illegal migrants crossing into the United States - but so far, she hasn't addressed the latest crisis to face the border.
Instead, she made a surprise visit to her alma matter, Howard University, where she tossed the coin for the annual Howard-Hampton football game at Audi Field, in Washington D.C.
Harris's appearance at the game comes as the US deals with several high priority issues in the US, ranging from the crisis at the Mexican border as more than 14,000 Haitian immigrants flood into Texas, to the fallout over the botched drone strike in Afghanistan that killed an aid worker and seven children.
Although tasked with handling the influx of illegal migrants into the US, Harris has not publicly spoken about the crisis since she visited the border in June.
On August 9, she had a private phone call with Mexico President Lopez Obrador where she was set to discuss cooperation at the U.S.-Mexico border to curb the stream of illegal immigration during the pandemic and as American agencies become overwhelmed.
Vice President Kamala Harris performed the traditional coin toss at the annual Howard-Hampton football game on Saturday
Students and spectators cheered for the VP at her alma matter after Howard won the toss
Many were critical of Harris's attendance at the game given the crisis facing the nation
U.S. authorities encountered more than 195,000 migrants at the Mexican border in August, according to government data released on Wednesday.
The Biden administration has begun preparing deportation flights to Haiti in order to curb the number of undocumented migrants flooding into Del Rio, Texas, after nearly 14,000 immigrants began camping in the area as thousand continue to arrive.
Department of Homeland Security officials are planning as many as eight flights per day to Haiti, starting on Sunday, about a week since President Joe Biden cancelled repatriation flights to Haiti.
Haiti - which is recovering from a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people and damaged more than 100,000 homes - is prepared to only accept at least three flights a day, but Biden's administration will push for the eight, The Washington Post reported.
Despite the oncoming deportation blitz, thousands of Haitian continue to cross the US-Mexico border, wading through dark waters of the Rio Grande in order to reach America.
14,000 of them are camped out beneath a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, and are mostly Haitian with some Cubans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans also present.
Food and water has been scarce in the makeshift camp, around 20 migrants told Reuters, and temperatures have risen to around 99 Fahrenheit.
Border Patrol said in a statement it was increasing staffing in Del Rio to facilitate a 'safe, humane and orderly process.' Drinking water, towels and portable toilets have been provided, the statement added, while migrants wait to be transported to facilities.
Haitian migrants continue to cross into the US through the Rio Grande. Pictured, Haitian migrants entering the US on Saturday
Haitian immigrants are continuing to cross the Rio Grande to get to the US while the nation prepares an immigration blitz against the 14,000 Haitian who are arriving in Texas
A Haitian father can be seen carrying his son on his shoulder on Friday as they cross the river
The migrants are attempting to escape the political upheaval and natural disaster that left Haiti devastated in July and August
U.S. authorities encountered more than 195,000 migrants at the Mexican border in August, near a 20-year high
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Thursday that he directed state troopers and the Texas National Guard 'to shut down six points of entry along the southern border' at the request of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, before reversing himself and blaming the confusion on the Biden administration.
'Six hours after U.S. Customs and Border Protection requested help from Texas to close ports of entry and secure the border, the Biden Administration has now flip-flopped to a different strategy that abandons border security and instead makes it easier for people to cross illegally and for cartels to exploit the border,' Abbott said in a statement.
'The Biden Administration is in complete disarray and is handling the border crisis as badly as the evacuation from Afghanistan. I have directed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to maintain their presence at and around ports of entry to deter crossings,' added the governor.
Twitter users criticized Harris's attendance at the game while the crisis at the U.S. Mexican border continues with thousands of immigrants crossing into Texas
On Saturday, Harris joined in the revelry as the game, dubbed 'Truth and Service Classic,' marks the 96th meet between the two elite historically black universities and the first football game held at Howard's newest stadium.
Many on Twitter were quick to criticize the vice president's appearance after her work earlier in the summer traveling to the boarder to assess the immigration situation amid the pandemic.
Wasn't she in charge of the border,' one user with the handle Naty wrote.
Another user with the name Buzz Knudson wrote, 'I seem to remember soooooomeone was in charge there right?'
'Nice to see she's prioritizing her responsibilities as VP,' added Ron Hill, another Twitter user.
The desperate migrants stuff their belongings into a plastic bag and jump into the river
The migrants wade through the river Friday night to cross from Ciudad Acuna, Mexico
Some are using Carrizo cane to construct sturdier tents as they wait to be granted asylum
A US official addressing the deportation blitz by the Biden administration said the flights were not a targeted measure against Haitian immigrants, but merely the application of the US law to swiftly return the influx of migrants.
Under Title 42 of the US pandemic enforcement measures, the nation is allowed to conduct a rapid expulsion of migrants who cross the Mexican border illegally.
'This isn't about any one country or country of origin,' a US official told the Post. 'This is about enforcing border restrictions on those who continue to enter the country illegally and put their lives and the lives of the federal workforce at risk.'
While a federal judge block the used of Title 42 on Thursday, the stay does not go into effect for two weeks, allowing the administration enough time to conduct more than 100 deportation flights.
The Biden administration had also filed an appeal on Friday.
More than 195,000 migrants have made the trek into the US this past year
Most of the migrants come from Haiti, with Cubans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans also making the trip into the US
One migrant was seen stuffing his belongings in a black, plastic bag before jumping into the Rio Grande on Friday night to make the journey with his fellow Haitians
No comments