Kamala Harris chose illegal migrant for jobs program who attacked woman during her San Francisco DA term
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Vice President Kamala Harris highlighted her prosecutorial experience as she joined the 2024 presidential race following President Joe Biden's exit and endorsement, preparing to face Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Her campaign stated that the first female vice president of the United States never shielded "away from taking on those who harm the American people," as per the New York Post.
For instance, while addressing Biden's campaign staff in Delaware on July 22, she emphasized her awareness about "Trump's type" people from her time as a prosecutor in California, where she came across "predators" and "fraudsters."
However, her job program for illegal immigrants tainted her prosecutorial journey, which could contradict her claims.
Kamala Harris picked an illegal migrant who allegedly assaulted a woman for her 'Back on Track' program
As San Francisco District Attorney from 2004 to 2011, Kamala Harris launched the 'Back on Track' program, which provided job training and record expungement for undocumented immigrants arrested on drug crimes. This also allowed them to avoid deportation under the city's sanctuary policies.
A blemish on the program occurred when she selected illegal Honduran migrant Alexander Izaguirre, who is alleged to have violently assaulted a young woman named Amanda Kiefer, resulting in long-term trauma and a skull fracture, according to the LA Times.
The illegal Honduran migrant committed the crime in July 2008 while participating in the 'Back on Track' program. He grabbed Kiefer's purse as she was walking to an upscale restaurant in Pacific Heights with a friend.
Izaguirre then jumped into an SUV and attempted to run down the 29-year-old victim, who fell into the road and sustained a skull fracture.
After the incident, Kiefer left California. During her campaign for Attorney General, Harris expressed regret for allowing illegal immigrants into the program following the emergence of the case.
"The immigration issue, as it relates to the Izaguirre case, obviously is a huge kind of pimple on the face of this program," she told LA Times at the time, adding, "I don't mean to trivialize it, nor do I mean to cover it up."
Kamala Harris' staunch support for sanctuary city policies tainted her tenure as DA in San Francisco
Kamala Harris's support of sanctuary policies also left a black mark on her DA period in San Francisco. Her spokesperson said in 2016, "We are a sanctuary city, a city of refuge, and we always will be."
The sanctuary city policies prevented local authorities from questioning a person's immigration status unless they were committing a crime.
For instance, Edwin Ramos, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, murdered a father and two sons in June 2008. He shot Tony Bologna and his sons, Michael and Matthew Bologna, at a traffic stop without any reason.
Although prosecutors later stated that he mistook them for gang members, Ramos had a history of criminal behavior.
As a juvenile, he was involved in a gang-related attack on a bus passenger and a robbery attempt on a pregnant woman, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Federal immigration authorities were not involved in either case because of the sanctuary policies. Ramos completed his prison sentence in March 2008, just months before the Bolognas were murdered.
In 2009, Danielle Bologna, the widow of Tony, sued the city of San Francisco over its interpretation of sanctuary policies, alleging that it contributed to the murder of her husband and sons.
However, a judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that city officials were not responsible for Ramos's crime.
"The district attorney really needs to pay attention – she doesn't have kids, she doesn't know what this means," Danielle said of the then-district attorney.
Harris did not seek the death penalty for Ramos and instead supported a life sentence without parole, remaining consistent with her anti-death penalty campaign pledge.
