Throwback: Kamala Harris Led a ‘Down with Deportation!’ Chant at a 2018 Parade—And Her Surprising Ally Revealed!

Vice President Kamala Harris, now promising to secure the border, once stood in stark opposition to deporting illegal immigrants. In a 2018 Los Angeles parade, Harris was captured on video passionately leading a protest chant, “Down, down with deportation!”—a stance that directly contrasts her current rhetoric on border security.

The footage, exclusively obtained by the Daily Mail, shows Harris, then a California senator, enthusiastically joining a group of activists during the 33rd annual parade, typically held to honor the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. However, leftist political forces, including the “Times Up!” movement, transformed the event into a platform for their political causes, one of which was advocating for illegal immigration without consequence.
Kamala’s Role in the Protest

During the parade, Harris, named the event’s grand marshal, joined protesters in a chant celebrating education while denouncing deportation. “Up, up with education! Down, down with deportation!” she chanted, clapping and smiling alongside her husband, Doug Emhoff, and stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, who filmed the moment on her iPhone.

It wasn’t just Harris and her family who participated in this politically charged event—there was also a familiar face beside her: Empire star Jussie Smollett. At the time, Smollett was a rising television star, but within a year, he would be embroiled in a hate crime hoax that shocked the nation. Wearing a “Times Up” t-shirt, sunglasses, and holding a young child, Smollett joined Harris in the parade, helping amplify the message of opposing immigration enforcement.

Watch the video below:

The Smollett Scandal

In January 2019, just a year after the parade, Smollett was convicted of orchestrating a hoax hate crime in Chicago, falsely claiming he was attacked by two men in MAGA hats. He alleged they poured bleach on him and tied a noose around his neck, prompting Harris to describe the incident as an “attempted modern-day lynching.” Despite Smollett’s claims being debunked, Harris has yet to delete her infamous tweet standing by his side.

Smollett’s conviction further highlights the questionable associations Harris made during that time, especially as her opposition to deportation now appears hypocritical, considering her current claims of wanting to secure the border.
A Sharp Turn on Immigration

Fast forward to 2023: Vice President Harris has shifted her position, now claiming to support border enforcement. However, her past actions paint a different picture. As part of the Biden-Harris administration, immigration enforcement has plummeted. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data, there was a 67 percent decline in the removal of criminal aliens under Biden compared to Trump’s administration.

In Trump’s first three years in office, ICE deported nearly half a million illegal aliens with criminal records or pending charges. In stark contrast, the Biden-Harris administration has only removed 158,931.
Kamala Harris Warns of ‘Mass Deportation’ Under Trump

Harris has sounded the alarm over Trump’s vow to reinstate deportation policies, accusing him of planning “mass deportations.” During a recent speech at an event hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, she raised fears of “massive raids” and “detention camps,” saying that Trump’s plans represent the largest mass deportation in U.S. history.

Trump, however, made it clear that his priority would be removing criminal illegal immigrants first, saying in an interview with journalist Sharyl Attkisson: “We are getting the criminals out, and we are going to do that fast. We know who they are.”
Trump’s Immigration Vision

Unlike Harris’ fluctuating stance, Trump remains consistent in his immigration policy. In his interview, he emphasized the dangers of unchecked illegal immigration and vowed to act swiftly. “We are not a dumping ground. We are going to get all those people out fast, and we have no choice, because that is not sustainable by any country,” Trump declared.

Harris’ past actions, including her 2018 chants of “Down with deportation,” stand in stark contrast to her current claims. With her inconsistent positions on immigration and ties to individuals like Jussie Smollett, it’s hard to believe her newfound stance on border security is anything more than political convenience.