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Sunny Hostin slams Kamala Harris’ ‘do not come’ message to migrants as ‘inflammatory’

by Jessica Chasmar

Sunny Hostin, co-host of ABC’s “The View,” on Tuesday slammed Vice President Kamala Harris’ message to migrants telling them not to come to the U.S. as “inflammatory.”

During a joint press conference with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, Ms. Harris said she planned to address the “root causes” fueling the wave of migration to the U.S., including “the lack of economic opportunity” for people in countries like Guatemala.

“At the same time, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border, do not come. Do not come,” she said. “The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border. There are legal methods by which migration can and should occur, but we, as one of our priorities, will discourage illegal migration. And I believe if you come to our border, you will be turned back.”

Ms. Hostin said she was “a little surprised at the clumsiness” of Ms. Harris’ language in her warning to migrants.

“Of course this country was founded on immigration, founded on people coming here legally and seeking asylum,” Ms. Hostin said. “But using those words, ‘Don’t come, don’t come,’ I think is pretty inflammatory and I think that’s why she’s getting so much pushback because of those words.

“The Supreme Court just ruled this week that people that come here illegally and stay here for 20 years still can’t apply for a green card because of the circumstances by which they came to this country,” she continued. “And so of course you shouldn’t come here illegally, but our vice president could have done, I think, a better job in terms of her language.”

Ms. Hostin was responding to blowback by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who tweeted Monday that she found Ms. Harris’ remarks “disappointing.”

“This is disappointing to see,” the New York Democratic congresswoman wrote. “First, seeking asylum at any US border is a 100% legal method of arrival. Second, the US spent decades contributing to regime change and destabilization in Latin America. We can’t help set someone’s house on fire and then blame them for fleeing.”

“It would be helpful if the US would finally acknowledge its contributions to destabilization and regime change in the region,” she added. “Doing so can help us change US foreign policy, trade policy, climate policy, & carceral border policy to address causes of mass displacement & migration.”

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s criticism was retweeted by fellow Squad member, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

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