The takeaways from Kamala Harris’ town hall: Dodging questions, more vague answers and struggling to name Trump’s ‘virtues’

Vice President Kamala Harris was put in the hot seat by a group of undecided Hispanic voters in Nevada on Thursday where she was pressed over a series of key issues from immigration to health care. 

But as the vice president looks to lock in support from this key voting bloc with just 26 days to be before Election Day, she played it safe, sidestepping on some hot button issues and resorting back to talking points she often uses on the campaign trail. 

The hour-long town hall was tapped at the University of Nevada Las Vegas to air nationally on Univision on Thursday night. 

Journalist Enrique Acevedo moderated the program where at times he also played translator as questions were posed both in Spanish and English by the voters.

Former President Donald Trump will also participate in a Univision town hall with undecided Hispanic voters next week after a taping earlier this week was delayed due to Hurricane Milton. 

Here are the takeaways from the vice president’s town hall: 

Kamala Harris dodges on immigration again

The vice president was grilled on immigration by several undecided voters during the town hall but offered up little new information, instead turning back to talking points. 

At one point she was asked directly what she would do that is different from what President Biden has done to fix the border and make sure it is secure.

Harris pointed out her recent trip in late September to the border. 

‘Perhaps what distinguishes me from at least a couple of people, I was the top law enforcement officer of the biggest state in the country, California, that is also a border state,’ Harris said. ‘I have taken on transnational criminal organizations.’

While the vice president talked about her unique experience as a top prosecutor, she did not get into how she would set herself apart from Biden on addressing the issue, similar to how she struggled to set herself apart overall recently during an appearance on The View.

‘I will put my record up against anyone in terms of the work I’ve always done, and it will always be to ensure we have a secure border,’ Harris said.

She went on to talk about the bipartisan border deal that was killed by Republicans in Congress at the encouragement of Trump. 

‘So my pledge to you is that, by the grace of God and hopefully with your support as well, when I am president, I will bring back that border security bill,’ Harris said, reiterating what she has said at campaign events across the country. 

While Harris was not asked directly to defend her record on the issue as vice president or the administration’s actions like she was during a grilling by 60 Minutes, she was quick to pivot back to the deal rather than charting any differences as she remains part of the administration.

 An emotional moment over immigrant health care

In the most emotional moment of the town hall, a woman revealed that her mother had passed away just six weeks ago. 

Speaking through tears, Ivette Castillo told the vice president she is an American citizen born to Mexican parents who had been in the U.S. since before she was born. Her dad was able to gain legal status but her mom was undocumented.

Castillo shared that her mom was never able to get the care and services she needed and asked Harris how she plans to support the ‘subgroup of immigrants who have been here their whole lives or most of them’ but have to live ‘in the shadows.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ Harris responded, visibly empathetic. ‘You must remember your mother as she lived.’ 

The vice president went that that part of the problem she ‘assumes’ is the U.S. has a ‘broken immigration system.’

She spoke of the first bill offered up in Congress after being elected in 2020 was to fix the immigration system including a comprehensive pathway to citizenship. She said had Castillo’s mother been able to gain citizenship, she would have been entitled to health care.

 ‘There are real people who are suffering because of an inability to put solutions in front of politics,’ Harris said. 

She then proceeded to talk about the bipartisan immigration bill that tanked in Congress.  

After the town hall wrapped up, the vice president could be seen going over and having a personal conversation with Castillo as she held her hand.  

Concerns remain about how Harris took over the ticket

One undecided voter confronted the vice president during the town hall over how she came about being the Democratic presidential nominee. 

He said she became the candidate without going through primaries or caucuses, which caught his attention. 

‘I’m also concerned about the way I feel President Biden was pushed aside,’ he told her before asking her to clarify the process.

 She started by thanking him for being ‘so candid.’

 ‘President Biden made a decision that I think history will show was probably one of the most courageous that a president could make, which is he decided to put country above his personal interest, and he made the decision,’ Harris said.

 She talked about Biden supporting her and urging her to run and being a partner for the last four years.

‘I am honored to have earned the Democratic nomination,’ she stated. ‘I am honored to have the endorsement of people from every walk of life.’ 

Harris blasted Trump, pointing to his remarks about being a dictator on day one, urged people to look at Project 2025 and warned the stakes are ‘extraordinarily high.’

‘It’s literally about do we support a democracy for the Constitution of the United States or are we going to go on the path of somebody who was a sore loser and lost the election in 2020,’ she went on accusing him of inciting the attack on January 6.

The vice president vowed she will earn the vote. 

Harris comes up short on name three Trump virtues 

In what was perhaps meant to be a feel-good final question of the town hall, Harris was asked for three virtues Trump has, but she came up short.

First she went off on the ex-president’s approach of making it ‘us versus them.’

Finally, she got around to naming one virtue: 

‘I think Donald Trump loves his family, and I think that’s very important,’ Harris said calling family one of the most important things we could prioritize. 

‘But I don’t really know him to be honest with you,’ Harris added. ‘I have met him one time – on the debate stage.’ 

She used the rest of the time to plug her campaign.