Kamala Harris promises immigration reform, abortion rights in first Arizona rally

PHOENIX – Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made their first appearance as the Democratic presidential ticket in the Valley on Friday.

In her 30-minute speech, Harris targeted the issues affecting Arizona voters ahead of the the November general election. The vice president delivered the path to immigration reform and promised to protect abortion rights, not just in Arizona but the United States.

Harris, who President Joe Biden tasked with overlooking border policy, admitted the immigration system is broken but knows what it takes to fix it.

“Comprehensive reform that includes strong border security and an earned pathway to citizenship,” Harris said.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his campaign have attacked Harris on her handling of the border during the current administration. At the rally, Harris pointed toward Trump’s involvement in forcing Republican lawmakers to reject a bipartisan border security bill earlier this year. Harris said she will sign the bill if elected president.

“He has no issue or desire to actually fix the problem,’ Harris said. “He talks a big game about border security but he does not walk the walk.”

The Trump campaign has accused Harris of allowing drug cartels to come into the U.S.

Harris, the former attorney general of California, reminded the crowd that she, as a law enforcement official, targeted transnational gangs, drug cartels and smugglers.

“I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won,” Harris said in front of a crowd of more than 15,000 in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix. “So I know what I’m talking about.”

Harris on abortion rights

Reproductive rights will be a major issue on Arizona ballots this year. Voters will vote on Proposition 139, if passed, the right to an abortion will be added to the Arizona constitution.

In a speech that hammered home the stakes of this election, Harris reminded rallygoers of Trump’s appointment of three U.S. Supreme Court justices and their influence in overturning Roe v. Wade. Arizona is one of many states who changed their law on abortion, restricting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with an exception for medical emergencies later in the term. There are no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

‘When I am president of the United States and when Congress passes the bill to restore reproductive freedoms for every woman in America, I will sign it into law,” Harris said.

Harris speech interrupted, promises ceasefire

Minutes into her speech, Harris’ praises for her running mate Tim Walz were interrupted by pro-Palestinian protestors in the crowd. Following chants of “USA!” from the crowd, the presidential candidate attempted to push through the yells but decided to address the protest.

“Now is the time to get a ceasefire deal and get the hostage deal done,” Harris said.

Harris moved on to the rest of her speech after she said, “I respect your voices, but we are here to now talk about this race in 2024.”

Harris on Trump

The former president was a focal point throughout the speech with Harris keying in on the Republican candidates desire to restrict abortion rights, end the Affordable Care Act and push back against climate change initiatives.

Harris pitted her history as a prosecutor against Trump’s spotty history in business and criminal convictions.

The rally

Held at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, the crowd was estimated to be around 20,000 people.

Before Harris and Walz spoke, a handful of Arizona politicians spoke to the crowd including Republican Mesa Mayor John Giles, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and Rep./U.S. Senate candidate Ruben Gallego.

A common message in the rally was that Democrats were the underdog in this election and extensive work will need to be done on the ground level.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, who spoke with his wife, former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, spoke together and vocalized the path to victory.

“What this is about is who works harder. That’s it,” Kelly said. “It is as simple as that.”

The upbeat crowd returned chants of “Vote, vote, vote” when the speakers discussed what is needed to win in November. Signs were scattered across the audience, reading “Kamala” and “Coach” a nod to Walz’s past as a high school football coach.

Arizona is one of many stops that Harris and Walz have made in the past week, stopping in key battleground state such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The duo will kick off another rally in Nevada on Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.