How seven of Kamala Harris’ most controversial policies could impact YOU… if she introduces them again during her run for president
Vice President Kamala Harris has voiced support for many different ‘liberal’ policies throughout her political career, but she has not publicly set the record straight of where she stands on these issues as she runs for President of the United States.
From the migrant crisis to slavery reparations, these extreme proposals could have long-lasting impacts on the everyday lives and wallets of all Americans.
DailyMail.com breaks down the most controversial policies she has supported in the past and how they could dramatically impact the country.
The 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 Spokesperson Symone Sanders
1. Decriminalizing illegal immigration
Harris spoke frequently about what she would do as president on the issue of immigration and the migrant crisis when she first ran for president in 2020.
‘An undocumented immigrant is not a criminal,’ she said repeatedly, showing support for decriminalizing illegal border crossings.
She also vowed opposition to President Donald Trump’s efforts to build a wall on the Southern border.
Vice President KAMALA HARRIS speaks to the audience during the 113th convention of the NAACP
Vice President Kamala Harris has vowed
2. DEI polices and financial reparations for slavery
Harris frequently speaks about her support of 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 adjusting government aid and assistance by race and gender.
‘We have to all acknowledge that people have not started out on the same base and have not had equal opportunities to success,’ she argued.
Harris also supported the idea of giving financial assistance to dependance of slavery.
“I think there have to be some form of reparations and can discuss what that is,” she said.
Estimations for the cost of reparation programs show it could cost as much as $12 trillion.
She also supported the idea of fining businesses who did not pay women the same salaries as men and making sure that more black students in urban communities had access to more black teachers to help them succeed.
Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the 2022 Essence Festival
3. Crackdown on gun rights
On guns, Kamala Harris supports mandatory gun confiscation, universal background checks, red flag laws and an assault weapon ban.
She has endorsed the idea of a ban on the sale of some semiautomatic rifles and the mandatory confiscation of guns not approved by the federal government.
‘We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program,’ Harris said, promising action to remove as many as 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 also the program mandatory.
Harris has also backed red flag laws for gun owners, allowing law enforcement or family members to request a court order to prevent them from having access to their firearms.
Kamala Harris makes special remarks during the worship service at Ebenezer Baptist Church
4. Reduce beef consumption and BAN plastic straws
Harris endorsed the idea of using the government to help reduce the consumption of beef, based on the concern that cows produced too much methane gas that could increase climate change.
She spoke about these issues during a CNN town hall on climate change when asked whether she supports changing the dietary guidelines.
‘Yes,’ replied Harris who went on to say she ‘would’ reduct red meat specifically,.
Harris also endorsed the idea of banning plastic straws when asked.
‘I think we should [ban plastic straws], yes.’
5. Medicare for All and higher taxes to pay for it
Harris proposed the idea of raising taxes to pay for government funded universal health care during her 2020 presidential campaign.
That included a four percent tax on households making more than $100,000 a year to pay for it and raising the corporate income tax from 21 percent to 35 percent.
She also proposed raising the top marginal income tax rate to 39.6 percent.
US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the press
6. Federally legalizing marijuana
Harris endorsed the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana use during her 2020 campaign, arguing it provided more ‘joy’ to the public.
‘Listen, I think it gives a lot of people joy. And we need more joy,’ she argued in an interview with The Breakfast Club, where she admitted to using marijuana.
In July 2024, Harris again endorsed the idea of legalizing use of the drug.
‘I just need to say it, we need to legalize marijuana,’ she said during a roundtable on the issue at the White House.
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks to consumer protection, labor, and civil rights leaders
7. Transgender policies in school
Harris and Biden has proposed new policies under Title IX legislation that would open up new regulations allowing more freedoms for transgender students in public schools.
Harris supports eliminating bans on gender changing surgeries for minors, enacting policies for public schools to allow transgender individuals to use bathrooms of their choice, paying for transgender surgeries for prisoners, and allowing biological males to compete in women’s public school sports.
Harris argues that new policies are necessary to ensure rights for transgender individuals, even as women’s rights groups have protested the changes as threatening to the safety of girls.