What Does Kamala Harris' California Past Show About Immigration Record

Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, August 13, 2024…

• Republicans are hammering Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on immigration. They’re calling her a ‘failed border czar’ responsible for an “invasion” of migrants, but she’s pushing back with a tough on the border message. How does Harris’ record in California shape her views on immigration and the border?
• A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck 2.5 miles southeast of Highland Park in Los Angeles County on Monday afternoon. In terms of intensity, the shaking was strong enough to knock items off shelves, but didn’t cause any widespread damage. It did startle quite a few people throughout the region. And thousands received early notice of the quake through the MyShake app.
• State lawmakers have approved a package of bills aimed at combating retail theft. The bills now await Governor Newsom’s signature.

As Republicans Attack Harris on Immigration, Here’s What Her California Record Reveals

With the Biden administration facing low approval ratings on immigration, and Republicans blaming Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris for what they call a “border invasion,” Harris is pushing back, spotlighting in campaign ads and speeches what she says is her history of tough border enforcement.

But a look at Harris’ record as a public official in California — the state with the largest number and share of immigrants — finds a more nuanced picture. Longtime political observers say her experience as the daughter of immigrants has intertwined with her career as a prosecutor to form a pattern: pro-immigration but tough in enforcing the law.

4.4. Magnitude Earthquake Hits Los Angeles

A strong earthquake struck Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, centered near the Highland Park area. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 4.4. magnitude quake struck around 12:20 p.m.

The quake was centered right beneath a heavily populated part of Los Angeles, meaning more people felt it than if the same size quake hit in a remote location. Just a few hours after the quake hit, more than 20,000 people had submitted “Did You Feel It” reports to the U.S. Geological Survey. Three aftershocks were recorded within a few hours of the main event, all smaller than magnitude 3.

The earthquake early warning system detected the quake 4 seconds after it started, calculated its size and issued warnings that were delivered by the app MyShake to more than 370,000 phones, according to Elizabeth Cochran, a seismologist with the USGS.

State Lawmakers Send Retail Theft Bills To Governor’s Desk

State lawmakers approved a package of bills on Monday aimed at combating retail theft. The 10 bills include one that would require online marketplaces to have a policy prohibiting the sale of stolen items and alerting law enforcement if someone is trying to sell stolen goods in the state. The bills now head to Governor Newsom’s desk for his signature.

This comes as voters are set to decide on Proposition 36 this November. If passed the measure would allow courts to charge people with a felony if they have past convictions for shoplifting, burglary and carjacking and they’re accused of committing more theft crimes, essentially rolling back changes approved by California voters with Prop 47.