Latino leaders and civil-rights groups are starting to back Kamala Harris despite disputes over border policy

SEATTLE - Latino leaders and lawmakers who once criticized the Biden administration over its border policies are now backing Kamala Harris as they say the current Vice President is a far preferable option over former President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.

Latino leaders such as Robert Rivas, speaker of the California Assembly, are now endorsing Harris despite their past criticism over Biden's immigration enforcement measures that saw a record number of apprehensions along the southern border last year.

"Trump was an absolute disaster for our country, and there's just no comparison between the two candidates," Rivas said.

On July 24, the Harris campaign offered a glimpse into her immigration policies in a virtual call with Latinas that drew an estimated 4,500 participants and raised about $118,000.

Harris's background is something that can help her resonate with Latinos. Daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, her story "brings empathy and understanding to the immigrant agenda," according to Héctor Sánchez Barba, president of Mi Familia Vota, a group that works to mobilize Latino voters.

Vice President Harris has already drawn endorsements of other Latino Democrats such as Senator Alex Padilla of California, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Representatives Joaquin Castro and Veronica Escobar of Texas. She also has the support of three major Latino voter-turnout and civil-rights organizations: Mi Familia Vota, Voto Latino and UnidosUS Action Fund.

While hosting a barbecue at her Washington residence, Latino leaders who attended the event such as Sánchez Barba said they left feeling "hopeful" that Harris would be able to find a balanced vision that would improve border enforcement and legal pathways for citizenship.

Most of the scrutiny Harris has faced during her tenure as vice president came in the summer of 2021, when she drew criticism from Latino officials and immigrant-rights leaders for her comments on the growing numbers of migrants by telling migrants "Do not come" in a news conference in Guatemala, where she was on a diplomatic tour.

Vice President Harris is expected to formally clinch her party's nomination next month during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. While initially talks of other candidates shortly emerged, Harris has reportedly not only gained support from the public, but also from enough delegates to rise up to the ticket in November.

If the Democrats want to keep control of the White House, they will have to continue working on gathering more support from Latinos, as they are projected to play a key role in this year's elections. An estimated 36.2 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year, a 12% increase — or nearly 4 million people — since the last presidential election, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center.

Latinos are projected to account for 14.7% of all eligible voters in November and, just like in 2020, they will be hugely important for both Democrats and Republicans in tight races in battleground states.