(NewsNation) — In the first debate between the vice presidential candidates, Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz sparred over the U.S. immigration system so much so that CBS moderators at one point had to mute their mics.
Vance blamed the Biden-Harris administration for the influx of immigrants and, subsequently, an alleged increase in crime.
Vance advocated for reinstating former President Donald Trump‘s border policies, including mass deportations and military involvement, to combat the influx of fentanyl and crime.
Walz countered saying that the largest decrease in opioid deaths in the last 12 months occurred under Vice President Kamala Harris‘ tenure and criticized Vance’s approach as demonizing immigrants.
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What did they say about migrant crime?
Vance claimed there are 20-25 million undocumented immigrants in the country, more than double the number of undocumented immigrants estimated by experts.
Vance also said, “About a million of those people have committed some form of crime in addition to crossing the border illegally.”
If Vance’s figure were accurate, about one in ten undocumented immigrants would also be criminals. According to multiple studies by the Cato Institute, immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than natural-born U.S. citizens.
Vance hit Harris for being an absentee “border czar,” though she’s never been responsible for tactical deployments at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I’ve been to the southern border more than our border czar Kamala Harris has been, and it’s actually heartbreaking, because the Border Patrol agents, they just want to be empowered to do their jobs,” Vance said.
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‘There are consequences for this’
In the first debate between Donald Trump and Harris, the former president repeatedly brought up widespread stories about immigrants in America’s communities.
JD Vance faced backlash in September after promoting false claims that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are abducting and eating pets as he tried to draw attention to Democratic presidential nominee Harris’ immigration policies. Officials have said there have been no credible or detailed reports about the claims.
During the vice presidential debate, Walz said he was “surprised” that Vance decided to “create stories” that “vilified a large number of people who were legally here.”
“The Republican governor said it’s not true,” Walz said. “Don’t do it. There are consequences for this. There are consequences… and the consequences in Springfield were the governor had to send state law enforcement to escort kindergartners to school.”
Vance responded by saying that while Walz is “worried about the things I said in Springfield,” he is worried about “the American citizens who have had their lives destroyed by Kamala Harris’s open border.”
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CBS temporarily mutes mics after fact-check
Moderators read a fact check at the end of the exchange, saying that Springfield has a large number of legal Haitian immigrants, leading Vance to retort by saying moderators had agreed not to fact-check either candidate. He then explained the Customs and Border Protection process followed by some Haitian immigrants.
Vance challenged CBS News moderators after the network’s Margaret Brennan attempted to clarify comments about immigration in Springfield, Ohio.
The Ohio senator interjected after Brennan clarified for debate viewers that Springfield “does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status, temporary protected status.”
“The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check,” Vance said as the moderators attempted to move on to a question on the economy. “And since you’re fact-checking me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on.”
Brennan interrupted Vance’s attempt to expound, saying “we have so much to get through.”
Walz also attempted to add to the conversation, prompting moderators to cut the candidates’ mics.
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How would a mass deportation plan actually work?
Vance broke down what his ticket’s “largest mass deportation plan in American history” would entail.
He said, if elected, the GOP ticket would reimplement Trump’s policies, build the wall and “stop the bleeding” caused by Harris’ “wide open southern border.”
Vance said he would plan to remove migrants who have committed “some form of crime” and make it harder for migrants to work for less than minimum wage.
Vance did not elaborate on whether he would deport parents who entered the country illegally, instead pointing to the “real family separation policy in this country” of migrant children “lost” by border officials.
Walz acknowledged that fentanyl is a crisis in America, but refused to pin it on border crossings or Harris’ policies.
He referenced the bipartisan border bill which Trump helped tank, according to Walz.
“It gives him a campaign issue. What would Donald Trump talk about if we actually did some of these things?” Walz asked.
Walz said he supported a bipartisan bill by James Lankford that includes measures like increasing border agents and funding for drug detection, which he claims is supported by law enforcement and necessary to address the crisis humanely.
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Walz, Vance on border and immigration
In a 2021 letter, Walz asked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to “prioritize a clean pathway to citizenship for essential workers, dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holder, and their families.”
“Dreamers and TPS holders have enriched and strengthened Minnesota’s cities, schools, businesses, congregations and families,” Walz wrote. “We believe that it is a moral imperative that Republicans and Democrats in Congress work together to enact bipartisan legislation that replaces fear and uncertainty with permanent protection for these individuals.”
During his 2022 campaign for Senate, Vance ran a political ad saying, “Joe Biden’s open border is killing Ohioans,” looking straight into the camera, adding, “With more illegal drugs and more Democrat voters pouring into this country.”
Vance argues illegal immigration has devastated parts of the country, including places like Wisconsin that are far from the U.S. border with Mexico. He blamed Harris and President Joe Biden for problems such as the flow of illegal drugs, and says he and Trump will secure the border and “put Americans first.”
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How many people are crossing the border?
U.S. Border Patrol arrests along the Southwest border rose slightly from July to August but remained among the Biden administration’s lowest.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, border agents had 58,038 encounters between ports of entry in August, up from 56,399 in July.
The actual number of encounters at America’s borders is expected to reach about 10 million by the end of the fiscal year, including repeat crossings and deportations.
These encounters include repeat crossings and deportations, which means the actual number of unique individuals entering the country is much lower.
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Political gridlock on border policy
In June 2024, Biden released a series of executive actions capping migrant crossing until border encounters remain consistently low — under 2,500 per day for an entire week — to give Border Patrol more time to handle each migrant’s situation.
The president also clarified his use of executive powers, saying he was doing what Congress would not about a bipartisan immigration deal that failed in the Senate after Trump urged GOP lawmakers to vote against it.
NewsNation’s Anna Kutz, Katie Smith, Fernie Ortiz and The Hill contributed to this report.
