Wikipedia sleuths argue over whether Harris was ‘border czar’

As soon as Vice President Kamala Harris took over from President Joe Biden, her biggest supporters began criticizing her status and responsibility as the administration’s “border czar.”

One of Harris’s first high-profile assignments was to address the root causes of growing illegal immigration and use diplomatic channels to engage with the Central American countries that many migrants came from. The president never gave her the title “border czar,” but the acronym was regularly used by online and broadcast media.

Now, as she heads toward becoming the Democratic nominee to face former President Donald Trump in November, criticism of her failure to stem the tide of illegal border crossings and her delay in visiting the southern border are complicating her future. Several media outlets have backpedaled, reporting that they called Harris the “border czar,” and editors are trading barbs, updating a reference to the unofficial Wikipedia post.

Several notes and comments were added to the title on a page listing America’s executive branch czars. At one point, Harris was removed from the list entirely.

Harris’ removal sparked outrage from users, and her name was reinstated on the list with several footnotes. One user responded to her removal by stating, “This is literal propaganda and revisionism.”

Another said: “Wikipedia editors once again show complete contempt for history itself and embrace Orwellianism. Axios and many other mainstream outlets have reported that Harris has been appointed Border Czar. Biden himself said so. This is utterly absurd revisionist nonsense, designed to play a role in the political left’s whitewashing of Harris’ accomplishments.”

The debate provides insight into some of the public’s views on whether Harris has been dubbed the “border czar.” Harris’ campaign has questioned whether she ever held that title.

There is no doubt that Harris has been tasked with leading migration out of Central America, according to a 2021 White House press release.

“Since March, Vice President Kamala Harris has led the Administration’s diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras,” it said. “She has worked with bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector partners, as well as civil society leaders, to help people in the region find hope at home.”

Harris is synonymous with the administration’s successes and failures, and Republicans are particularly interested in undermining her record on border security — one of the top issues voters say they worry about in 2024.

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If Republicans can bolster Harris’s label as “border czar,” they could have a powerful attack tool they can use this election cycle. A 2024 poll found that 78% of respondents viewed the influx of migrants into the country as a “crisis” or “serious problem.”

Super PAC Make America Great Again Inc. recently committed $32 million to attack Harris on border issues and for her record as a prosecutor.