JD Vance Throws Sharp Elbow After Kristen Welker Objects To Kamala Harris ‘Border Czar’ Label

Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) hit NBC’s Kristen Welker with a sharp elbow while slamming Vice President Kamala Harris for failing at her job as the Biden administration’s “border czar” on Sunday’s Meet the Press on NBC.

Vance, the running mate of former President Donald Trump, discussed the influx of migrants who have crossed the southern border in recent years, referring to Harris as the border czar – a media moniker.

When Vance used the term in reply to a question from Welker, the host interrupted to object to the term.

“It’s millions upon millions of illegal immigrants that have come in just since Kamala Harris became the border czar a few years ago. The first thing. . .” Vance began.

“She was put in charge of the root causes of migration,” Welker interjected.

“Well, the root causes of migration, I would say, Kristen, is that Kamala Harris refuses to do her job as border czar,” Vance quickly jabbed back.

The conversation carried on from there:

WELKER: All right, another big topic in this race is immigration. There has been a lot of discussion about Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportation. According to one estimate, more than 11 million U.S. citizens live in households with mixed immigration status, including more than five million children. If you and former President Trump were elected, would you separate families as a part of your mass deportation effort?

VANCE: Well, we have to start with the foundational issue here, which is we have 25 million illegal aliens in this country right now because Kamala Harris has refused to do her job.

WELKER: I have, very quickly, DHS says it’s much lower, it’s closer to eight million. Where do you get the 25 million from?

VANCE: Well, I think the 25 million are the people that should’ve been deported that maybe weren’t deported, plus you add another 12 to 15 million that have come in since Kamala Harris. Look, whatever the number is –.

WELKER: DHS disputes that number, for the record. They say it’s closer to eight to ten million, but please continue.

VANCE: Fair, but I think there are reasons to think that DHS is underestimating. Whatever the real number is, it’s way too high, right? It’s millions upon millions of illegal immigrants that have come in just since Kamala Harris became the border czar a few years ago. The first thing –.

WELKER: She was put in charge of the root causes of migration. Go ahead.

VANCE: Well, the root causes of migration, I would say, Kristen, is that Kamala Harris refuses to do her job as border czar. And let’s just start there. I want to answer your question, but I think it’s important to sort of sequence this the right way. So if you want to get control of the illegal immigration problem, you have to stop the bleeding. You have to stop so many people from coming here illegally in the first place. And that means undoing everything that Kamala Harris did.

While never her official title, Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration from Central America in July 2021.

Watch the clip above via NBC News.