Ken Salazar’s Reflections on U.S. Border Policy and Democratic Politics

Ken Salazar, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico under President Joe Biden, considered a run for the presidency against Biden in 2024. An excerpt from a book obtained by Politico revealed Salazar’s thoughts after Biden’s challenging debate performance in July 2024. Reflecting on that moment, Salazar said to himself, ‘I should run for president.’

Salazar urged the Biden administration early on to address the border situation as a crisis. He requested the appointment of a border czar, believing there was a significant disconnect in recognizing the political consequences for Democrats in the 2024 elections. Salazar noted that within the administration, the term ‘crisis’ was commonly used, although the White House refused to officially acknowledge it.

When Salazar suggested using the term to then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, he was met with reluctance. Mayorkas expressed concern about his own situation, stating, ‘Ken, I have a lot on my plate already. I’m about to be impeached for all this border stuff. The Republicans have it out for me.’

Despite forming a team and drafting a presidential platform, Salazar ultimately did not declare himself as a candidate. According to Politico, he planned to step in if Biden chose not to run, although the Democratic Party collectively opted to support Vice President Kamala Harris as their candidate. Salazar criticized this decision as mistaken.

Salazar expressed dissatisfaction with Harris’ efforts on immigration despite her being named border czar, a role he had advocated for. He argued that her position had little impact on migration flows, even though she was nearby the Oval Office for nearly four years.

Biden’s eventual decision to halt the border in 2024 was praised by Salazar. Yet, he acknowledged it happened too late to prevent images of an uncontrolled border from influencing the election’s latter stages.

In his book, ‘Borderlands: My Fight For An Inclusive America,’ Salazar offers advice to potential Democratic candidates, promoting his ‘borderlands platform’ aimed at fixing the broken U.S. immigration system. He has engaged in discussions with Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, along with plans to meet Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Salazar, along with Kelly, Gallego, and Pritzker, for further comment.