Vice President Kamala Harris has faced criticism over her stance on certain policy issues during her failed 2020 presidential campaign, which have resurfaced in recent days. In a questionnaire for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), she expressed support for spending taxpayer dollars on gender reassignment surgeries for prison inmates and decriminalizing drugs, among other things. Critics argue that her policies would exacerbate issues such as drug addiction, homelessness, and overdose deaths, while also burdening American taxpayers with unnecessary expenses.
Harris’ stance on these matters has evolved since she became the Democratic standard-bearer following President Joe Biden’s departure from the race in July 2021. Her campaign has quietly walked back some of her more progressive policy positions, without going on record to explain the changes. In an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, Harris claimed that “her values have not changed,” despite backing away from support for fracking and electric vehicle mandates.
Harris expressed her commitment to ensuring that transgender and non-binary individuals in prison and immigration detention receive access to medically necessary surgical care, including sex change surgeries. She also supported decriminalizing all drug possession for personal use at the federal level, arguing that it is long past time to change the criminalization of marijuana.
Harris further backed the elimination of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers, which request that state or local law enforcement hold someone in the US illegally and accused of a crime until they can be transferred to federal custody. She argued that law enforcement should not act as federal immigration agents, and instead focus on increasing public safety and not tearing apart immigrant families.
These positions have drawn criticism from some quarters, with critics arguing that her policies are too progressive and could worsen existing problems in the US. However, supporters argue that Harris’ stance represents a commitment to protecting individual rights and ensuring access to essential medical care for all.
