Kamala Harris’ ‘New Way Forward’ Plan: Defund ICE and Grant Citizenship to 11 Million Undocumented Immigrants
During her campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Kamala Harris outlined several progressive policies, including a push to defund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and provide a pathway to citizenship for over 11 million undocumented immigrants.
In a 2019 questionnaire from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Harris expressed her commitment to these and other left-leaning policies.
One of her key proposals was to drastically reduce ICE’s funding and limit its authority, particularly regarding ICE detainers.
Harris emphasized that law enforcement should prioritize community safety over acting as immigration agents, noting, “Throughout my career, I have made it clear that law enforcement should use their time and resources to keep communities safe, not act as federal immigration agents.”
She proudly referenced her actions as California’s Attorney General, where in 2012, she issued a directive informing state law enforcement that they were not obligated to comply with ICE detainers.
This policy has allowed criminal suspects and convicts wanted by ICE to be released back into the public rather than being handed over for deportation.
Harris also vowed to make ending the use of ICE detainers a priority if she became president, stating she would push for the agency to stop using them altogether.
Additionally, she aimed to defund ICE, recalling how she was one of the first senators to advocate for reducing its budget following President Trump’s election.
Harris introduced the DONE (Detention Oversight Not Expansion) Act, a legislative proposal designed to increase oversight of ICE detention facilities, cut detention rates by at least 50%, and stop funding for the construction or expansion of new detention centers.
As president, she pledged to fight for this legislation to become law. Furthermore, she committed to closing private immigration detention centers.
Her immigration policy also focused on creating a path to citizenship for over 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. Harris repeatedly emphasized this goal, noting, “I will prioritize immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million plus” undocumented individuals already contributing to American communities and the economy.
Harris’ plans extended beyond immigration. She pledged to make Washington, D.C., a state, use presidential pardon and clemency powers to free non-violent drug offenders, and restore voting rights to convicted felons who had completed their prison sentences, declaring, “Restoring voting rights for every American who has completed their prison sentence will be my priority as President.”
