Vance-Walz Debate: Here’s What the VP Candidates Said About Immigration

In their inaugural debate, Vice Presidential contenders Tim Walz and J.D. Vance clashed over immigration, a key issue shaping the upcoming election. Both candidates spent much of the debate defending the immigration policies of their respective running mates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and took every opportunity to underscore the failures and successes of past administrations.

Harris and the Border

Walz, the Democratic candidate, highlighted Harris’s experience as California’s Attorney General, where she prosecuted transnational gangs involved in human trafficking and drug smuggling.

“Kamala Harris was the attorney general of the largest border state in California. She’s the only person in this race who prosecuted transnational gangs for human trafficking and drug interventions,” said Walz.

In response, Vance, the Republican candidate, sharply criticized Harris and the Biden administration for failing to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. Vance argued that lax border policies had contributed to a surge in illegal immigration and drug trafficking, especially the influx of fentanyl into the country. “We have to stop the bleeding,” he said. “A lot of fentanyl is coming into our country … Kamala Harris let fentanyl into our communities at record levels.”

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He added, “We’ve got 20-25 million illegal aliens who are here in the country,” a number significantly higher than most credible estimates. Multiple reports, including one from the Office of Homeland Security, estimate the number of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. at around 11 million. Furthermore, data shows that nearly 90% of illicit fentanyl enters the U.S. through legal border crossings, and much of it is smuggled by U.S. citizens, not migrants seeking asylum.

Walz pushed back against Vance’s criticisms, referencing a bipartisan border bill. He accused Trump of deliberately sabotaging the bill for political gain. “As soon as that was getting ready to pass and actually tackle this, Trump said ‘no’, told them to vote against it, because it gives them a campaign issue,” Walz said. He added, “What would Donald Trump talk about if we actually did some of these things? He had four years to solve this.”

Haitian Immigrant Controversy

The exchange grew more heated when Vance mentioned his controversial comments about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Walz condemned Vance’s remarks, accusing him of spreading false narratives to demonize immigrants. “There’s consequences for this,” Walz said. “That vilified a large number of people who worked legally in the community of Springfield.”

Vance, however, stood by his remarks, arguing that immigration was overwhelming local communities. “The people that I’m most worried about in Springfield, Ohio, are the American citizens who have had their lives destroyed by Kamala Harris’ open border,” Vance said.

Housing Crisis

Vance also blamed Harris for the housing crisis, claiming that “millions of illegal immigrants” were driving up housing costs and making homes unaffordable for Americans. “You’ve got housing that is totally unaffordable because we have brought in millions of illegal immigrants to compete with Americans for scarce homes,” Vance claimed. While immigration may play a role in housing demand, the housing shortage in the U.S. dates back to the Great Recession, when home construction sharply declined.

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During the debate, Walz repeatedly called for solutions to address the immigration crisis. “We all want to solve this, most of us want to solve this,” he said. He referenced the failed immigration bill again, urging Republicans and Democrats to pass meaningful reform.

“Pass the bill. She’ll sign it,” Walz said.