As the 2024 election draws closer, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is ramping up its efforts to spotlight one of the most controversial policies from Donald Trump’s first term—the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border. In a bold move just before Trump’s Univision town hall in South Florida, the Harris campaign hosted a press conference in Doral, Florida, bringing in families who were directly affected by the policy to share their emotional experiences.
Billy, who was only 9 years old when he was separated from his father in 2018, spoke tearfully about the long-lasting trauma he endured. Despite being reunited with his father, Billy revealed that the emotional scars are far from healed.
“I still fear. I see a therapist, but the fear of Trump being reelected and this happening again to me or other kids is still with me,” Billy shared, standing beside his father.
The event, held under a “Keep Families Together” banner, also featured speeches by Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz and national co-chair Veronica Escobar. Both highlighted the devastating consequences of the family separation policy and warned what Trump’s potential return to the White House could mean for immigrants and Latino voters.
Escobar delivered a direct and urgent message to Latino voters, emphasizing that Trump’s harsh immigration policies aren’t limited to undocumented individuals but could affect the broader community. “So for Latinos who think that when Donald Trump insults immigrants or talks about mass deportation — that you’re thinking he’s talking about somebody else. Oh no, no, he’s talking about you,” Escobar said. “These horrors and indignities committed against children and vulnerable human beings could very well happen again, and under a second term, it could be far worse.”
This strategic move by the Harris campaign comes as both campaigns fiercely compete for the Latino vote, a crucial voting bloc that could swing the outcome of the election. The campaign sees Trump’s family separation policy as a powerful issue to highlight, believing it remains deeply unpopular among many voters and can be used to criticize Trump’s second-term immigration plans, which include mass deportations and the construction of large detention centers.
The Harris team is capitalizing on Trump’s previous actions to warn Latino voters of the broader implications of a second Trump term, aiming to contrast their immigration stance with Trump’s hardline approach. As Trump heads to the Univision town hall, the Harris campaign is making sure the family separation issue remains front and center in the minds of voters, particularly in South Florida, where the Latino vote could make a decisive impact.
In a race that’s increasingly focusing on immigration, the Harris campaign’s strategy of amplifying the personal stories of those affected by Trump’s policies is a direct appeal to the hearts of voters, positioning her as a candidate fighting for the dignity and rights of all families.
