The Propaganda FilesAxios Says Harris Was Never 'Border Czar,' a Label It Had Used Itself
In 2021 Axios described Vice President Harris as Biden's 'border czar'. In July 2024 it published a piece saying she never held that role.
The 2021 label fed GOP attacks on Harris, and the 2024 walk-back, timed to her nomination, helped her campaign distance her from the border.
What was reported
In 2021 Axios described Vice President Harris as Biden's 'border czar'. In July 2024 it published a piece saying she never held that role.
What actually happened
Days after Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee, Axios published an explainer saying the 'border czar' title was a misnomer, since her 2021 assignment was diplomacy on the root causes of migration from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Critics pointed out that Axios had used the label itself in 2021. Axios then added an editor's note admitting it was among the outlets that had incorrectly called Harris 'border czar'.
The proof
Axios's own editor's note on its July 24, 2024 article, read against its April 2021 coverage.
The receipt. Copy this and paste it anywhere:
Axios Says Harris Was Never 'Border Czar,' a Label It Had Used Itself — Retracted. Axios's own editor's note on its July 24, 2024 article, read against its April 2021 coverage. Full file: https://www.thepropagandafiles.com/case/axios-harris-border-czar-walkback/
Original reporting
- Axios (April 14, 2021): Coverage of Harris's immigration role that used the 'border czar' labelhttps://www.axios.com/2021/04/14/harris-immigration-visit-mexico-guatemala
- Axios (July 24, 2024): Explainer saying Harris never had the title, with editor's notehttps://www.axios.com/2024/07/24/kamala-harris-border-czar-immigratin
Corrections, findings & records
- The National Desk (KATV): Axios contradicts its own 2021 'border czar' reportinghttps://katv.com/news/nation-world/axios-claims-harris-never-actually-had-border-czar-title-contradicting-own-reporting-kamala-harris-joe-biden-immigration-southern-border-white-house
Archived copies
Stories get edited after publication. These open the Internet Archive's earliest saved copy of each original.
- Archived copy: Axios (April 14, 2021): Coverage of Harris's immigration role that used the 'border czar' labelhttps://web.archive.org/web/2/https://www.axios.com/2021/04/14/harris-immigration-visit-mexico-guatemala
- Archived copy: Axios (July 24, 2024): Explainer saying Harris never had the title, with editor's notehttps://web.archive.org/web/2/https://www.axios.com/2024/07/24/kamala-harris-border-czar-immigratin