U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris meets with students after her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
At her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley U.S. Sen. Kamala D. Harris did not talk about her presidential prospects in 2020, but she did speak about what she’s doing to fight the Trump Administration’s policies — particularly around immigration and how she is addressing criminal justice reform, the environment, and gun violence.
Harris received two standing ovations from the crowd of about 1,100 at St. Genevieve High School in Panorama City when she walked into the gymnasium and again when she took the stage. The crowd included many St. Genevieve students.
“This administration, as far as I’m concerned, has put a target on California’s back and we’re going to need to fight this,” Harris said specifically about the administration’s immigration policies.
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Eleventh grader Posh Phanasirikasem, 17, listens to U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris during her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Eleventh grader Posh Phanasirikasem, 17, asks U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris how can she make changes when she is against President Trump at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City during Harris’ first town hall in the San Fernando Valley on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Councilwoman Nury Martinez listens to U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, during her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wanda Green, of North Hollywood, asks U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris about police brutality at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City during Harris’ first town hall in the San Fernando Valley on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jennifer Winkler, of Burbank, wants to ask U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris a question at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City during Harris’ first town hall in the San Fernando Valley on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2020 presidential contender, hosts her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris meets with students after her first town hall in the San Fernando Valley at Saint Genevieve School in Panorama City on Thursday, Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
She recently grilled Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen during a Senate hearing about the department’s policy of separating children from their parents who cross the border illegally.
She told the audience at least 1,300 children have been separated from their parents at the border since October 2017.
“It’s immoral,” she said. “And let’s be clear, government should be in the business of keeping families together not tearing them apart.”
Harris’ appearance came five days before Tuesday’s primary election, where Democrats are hoping for results that ultimately lead to a flip of seats in the Congress.
Harris, the state’s junior senator, is not up for re-election this term, but that hasn’t stopped her from campaigning. She has stumped for Democrats throughout the country and most recently appeared campaigning with gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom this week in Burbank. Her endorsement has been coveted during this election cycle. Harris has been talked about as a presidential candidate in 2020.
“I have no announcements to make,” she told reporters about a potential run.
She encouraged the audience to vote on Tuesday. “Your voice is your vote and your vote is your voice,” she said. “Elections do matter.”
Harris, the state’s former attorney general, serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is conducting its own investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
While she spoke about the challenges facing the country in the Trump era, she also was optimistic about the country’s future.
She challenged the assertion that the country is divided.
“I reject that premise. I do not believe we are divided. I believe that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us, and I know that to be true,” she said.
Harris called this time in the country’s history a moment of inflection. She encouraged the audience to be activists.
Harris called for smart gun safety laws including mandatory background checks and banning “weapons of war.”
“It’s a false choice to suggest you either support the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away,” she said. “That is ridiculous.”
She told the young people in the audience that they will be future leaders on climate change.
Harris spoke about a bill she co-sponsored with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) to reform the court’s bail system. She also spoke about another bill to place a moratorium on new detention centers along the border and to assign investigators to assess conditions at detention centers.
After Harris spoke, she took questions from the audience. The questions covered topics such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the environment and criminal justice. Some audience members voiced frustration about the lack of prosecutions of officers involved in police shootings.
Harris said the town halls help her understand issues that are important to her constituents when she returns to Washington, D.C.
“I think that it was really, really insightful and very accurate what she’s saying,” said Jose Solorzano, who works in Woodland Hills. “I believe there’s certain things she left untouched which require more attention that needs to be addressed at a much deeper level” like improving social security benefits for immigrants.
“It’s very interesting everything that she addressed, immigrants and keeping families together. I love this type of meeting,” said Consuelo Reyes, of Sun Valley.
L.A. City Councilwoman Nury Martinez, who represents the San Fernando Valley district, kicked off the event.
“Our senator, since day one, has and always will be a fighter for working families here in the San Fernando Valley,” Martinez said.
