Vice president candidate JD Vance slams Harris on border security in Valdosta

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Ohio Senator JD Vance held a rally in Valdosta on the same day that Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to formally accept the Democratic nomination. 

Despite Thursday's rainy weather, enthusiastic Trump supporters began gathering hours ahead of the afternoon's campaign rally in Georgia. The rally, featuring vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, is part of the Trump-Vance campaign's effort to gain ground in the battleground state.

Vance criticizes Harris over border security

Sen. Vance talked about border security and immigration, key issues in the campaign. The Trump-Vance team is taking aim at presidential nominee Kamala Harris, criticizing her handling of the immigration crisis during her tenure as vice president. With President Joe Biden no longer in the race, Republicans are placing the blame for illegal immigration on Harris, labeling her a "failed border czar" and portraying her as a dangerous liberal who is lax on crime.

"As soon as Kamala Harris is booted out of office, we are not open for business to the illegal aliens or the Mexican drug cartels anymore. That is our solemn promise to the American people," Vance told the crowd. 

Vance hammered the Harris-Walz campaign, claiming the vice president has not done enough to secure the border during her tenure in the Biden administration.

"Our message to illegal aliens who come into this country by breaking our laws if you came into this country illegally, Donald Trump and I are going to work to send you home because that is what is required if you want to have a real border policy," said Vance. 

It is a message that resonated with many who attended the rally.  

"Border security is very important to me," said Gerald Parker, a Trump supporter. 

Immigration and border security remain a top issue with voters this election year. 

"I am a person who is 100 percent for immigration, but it needs to be legal. Right now, we are being inundated with people. It’s going to collapse our system," said Kathleen Pratt, Trump Supporter. 

 Early in his administration, President Biden tapped Harris to help address the huge influx of migrants at the Southern border. 

The Republican-led Senate twice rejected a bipartisan border security bill after Trump reportedly told them not to pass the legislation. 

With Biden's departure from the race, Republicans have blamed Harris for the illegal immigration crisis calling her a failed "border czar", as they race to define her campaign,and promise to stem the flow of illegal immigrants across the border and stop the flow drugs into the US if elected. 

"The reason we have an open border is because Kamala Harris undid the policies of Donald J Trump. We bring those policies back we’ll get border security, but you’ve got to have a president that wants to do this stuff," Vance said. 

Trump visits Southern border, talks immigration 

While Vance was in the Peach State, Trump was in Sierra Vista, Arizona. His visit included an inspection of the fence by local law enforcement and border officials. Trump sees border security, the issue that defined his first presidential campaign, as a major liability for Harris. 

Before his remarks, Trump began criticizing Harris' record on immigration and border security, calling her "the worst vice president" as he walked and talked to a few locals near a fence. 

"She was the border czar. All of a sudden, she is saying she is not the border czar," he said. "There's never a border in the whole world that's leaked like this border." 

Harris was tasked in March 2021 with tackling the "root causes" of migration from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador - Central America's so-called "Northern Triangle" - but was not given the title of "border czar" or put in charge of border security. 

Trump supporters at the rally expressed that immigration is a significant concern for them, with many hoping for a Republican victory in the upcoming election. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report