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Vice President Kamala Harris has expressed support for many different “liberal” policies throughout her political career, but has not made her stance on these issues publicly clear as she runs for president of the United States.
From the immigration crisis to reparations for slavery, these extreme proposals could have lasting impacts on the daily lives and pocketbooks of all Americans.
DailyMail.com looks at the most controversial policies he has supported in the past and how they could dramatically affect the country.
Harris’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment on whether the vice president has changed her views on the following policies:
Vice President Kamala Harris walks with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and spokeswoman Symone Sanders
1. Decriminalization of illegal immigration
Harris spoke frequently about what she would do as president on the issue of immigration and the migration crisis when she first ran for president in 2020.
“An undocumented immigrant is not a criminal,” he said repeatedly, showing his support for decriminalizing illegal border crossings.
Harris also expressed support for offering immigrants and illegal aliens free health care, which would significantly burden the U.S. health care system with higher costs.
He also vowed to oppose President Donald Trump’s efforts to build a wall on the southern border.
Vice President KAMALA HARRIS speaks to the audience during the 113th NAACP Convention
Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged
2. DEI Policies and Financial Reparations for Slavery
Harris frequently speaks about her support for government-mandated policies to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEEI) in the workplace and across government.
During her 2020 presidential campaign, Harris spoke about the importance of tailoring government aid and assistance based on race and gender.
“We all have to recognize that people did not start from the same base and did not have the same opportunities to succeed,” he argued.
Harris also supported the idea of providing financial assistance to dependents of slavery.
“I think there needs to be some kind of reparation and we can discuss what that is,” he said.
Estimates of the cost of repair programs show that they could… cost up to 12 trillion dollars.
She also supported the idea of fining companies that did not pay women the same wages as men and ensuring that more black students in urban communities had access to more black teachers to help them succeed.
US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on stage during the 2022 Essence Festival
3. Crackdown on gun ownership
On guns, Kamala Harris supports mandatory gun confiscation, universal background checks, red flag laws, and an assault weapons ban.
She has supported bans on the sale of some semi-automatic rifles and mandatory confiscation of non-federally approved weapons.
“We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program,” Harris said, pledging action to remove up to 10 million “assault weapons” such as AR-15s and AK-47s from gun owners in the United States.
Harris proposed a bill that would buy back rifles from gun owners but would also make the program mandatory.
Harris has also backed red flag laws for gun owners, allowing law enforcement or family members to seek a court order to prevent them from accessing their firearms.
Kamala Harris makes special remarks during worship service at Ebenezer Baptist Church
4. Reduce beef consumption and ban plastic straws
Harris backed the idea of using the government to help reduce beef consumption, based on concerns that cows produce too much methane gas that could increase climate change.
She spoke about these issues during a CNN town hall on climate change when asked if she supported changing dietary guidelines.
“Yes,” Harris replied, adding that she would specifically “cut back” on red meat.
Harris also supported the idea of banning plastic straws when asked.
“I think we should (ban plastic straws), yes.”
5. Medicare for all and higher taxes to finance it
Harris proposed the idea of raising taxes to pay for government-funded universal health care during her 2020 presidential campaign.
This included a four percent tax on households earning more than $100,000 a year to pay for it and raising the corporate income tax from 21 percent to 35 percent.
He also proposed raising the top marginal income tax rate to 39.6 percent.
US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters
6. Federal legalization of marijuana
Harris backed the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana use during her 2020 campaign, arguing that it provided more “joy” to the public.
“I think it brings joy to a lot of people. And we need more joy,” he said in an interview with The Breakfast Club, where he admitted to having used marijuana.
In July 2024, Harris again endorsed the idea of legalizing the use of the drug.
“I just need to say it: We need to legalize marijuana,” he said during a roundtable discussion on the issue at the White House.
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks to consumer, labor, and civil rights leaders
7. Transgender policies in schools
Harris and Biden have proposed new policies under Title IX legislation that would open up new regulations allowing more freedoms for transgender students in public schools.
Harris supports lifting bans on gender reassignment surgeries for minors, enacting policies for public schools to allow transgender people to use the bathrooms of their choice, paying for transgender surgeries for prisoners, and allowing biological males to compete in girls’ public school sports.
Harris argues that new policies are needed to ensure the rights of transgender people, even as women’s rights groups have protested the changes as threatening girls’ safety.