RUN IT BACK: Univision Gives Kamala Harris Another Softball Interview

Jorge Bonilla
December 21st, 2025 9:11 PM

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Univision gave then-Vice President Kamala Harris a very soft spot to land on over the course of the 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns. With speculation about 2028 already underway, the former VP goes back to a familiar haunt for familial treatment.

The portion of the interview that has aired so far comes in at around 3 minutes, and opens with a critique of President Trump’s current immigration policy, which is harshly framed by anchor and 2024 GOP primary debate co-moderator Ilia Calderón:

ILIA CALDERÓN: I want to start with something, a topic that is impacting our hispanic community. President Trump promised to support criminals. 

KAMALA HARRIS: Yeah

CALDERÓN: Yet, we have seen law abiding immigrants being violently detained on the streets…

HARRIS: Yeah.

CALDERÓN: …separation of families, racial profiling- what are your thoughts about what we are seeing across the country today?

HARRIS: It is important that America has enforceable laws. And he promised that what he was going to do in terms of immigration enforcement was go after criminals. That's not what it's been. It's been about creating profound fear in communities where children are afraid to go to school- parents are afraid to send their children to school. And it is inhumane to create this kind of fear among whole communities of people that are hard working and are in every way abiding by the law. If he's going to go after criminals, do that, but this has not been what that enforcement action has played out as.

Because the interview is so heavily edited, distilled down to three questions as published on all of Univision’s platforms, we don’t know if Calderón followed up or pushed back. There is only the set up and Harris taking a clean shot, then cut to the next question.

There should have been some follow up, given the Biden administration’s role in facilitating the inflow of tens of millions of illegal aliens into the country. But we get none, in keeping with Univision’s historic role as an immigration advocacy superPAC with a broadcast license. 

The conversation shifts to Venezuela, where- surprise- Harris objects to another Trump policy: pressure upon the Maduro regime.

CALDERÓN: I want to talk about Venezuela, Madam Vice President, because the opposition has tried many ways to remove Maduro from power, including elections where the opposition got 70 percent of the vote against 30 percent of the vote for Maduro, but still he remains in power, he refused to leave. Now United States have been putting pressure on the regime. Do you think that justifies the pressure and the possible action of United States?

HARRIS: I strongly believe the American government should not be attempting to change regimes around the world. The American people do not want to go to war and and do not want to go to war in the Caribbean, do not want to send American troops to fight this fight, whatever this fight is that Donald Trump thinks that he has the sole authority to wage.

This exchange is funny because the collapse of Venezuela is a “root cause” of the migrant crisis and Harris was supposed to handle “root causes”. So much of the conversation in the media regarding Venezuela seems to be that the regime is awful and something must be done, but not by Trump and not like this. Again, no visible followup but I would’ve liked to see whether Calderón asked about the various times the Biden admin got played by Maduro, such as the releases of the “Narconephews” and of regime bag man Alex Saab in exchange for free and fair elections that never came. 

Finally the conversation pivots to 2028:

CALDERÓN: You mentioned that you are not running and you clarified you're not running for the governor of California, and you haven't been clear about if you're running or not for president in 2028. You said that you are not done, but I would like to know what would you base that decision on.

HARRIS: There are going to be many factors. Um- I've obviously run for president before and I can tell you that it’s not a decision one makes alone. Running for president, I think it may look easier than it is and it involves a lot of people, especially the people who love you and are in your life and care about you. Um, you have to know why you're running and as far as I'm concerned you have to do it when you understand and have a sense of connection to what the people need and want.

There is just enough mystery to suggest that perhaps Harris might run. At a minimum, the door is not shut on 2028. 

Will Univision be there for Harris in 2028 as they were in 2020 and 2024? That is yet to be determined, but we’ll be watching. If there is more to this interview and Univision decided to publish it, we’ll be on it as well.

Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned interview as aired on Noticiero Univision on Thursday, December 18th, 2025:

ILIA CALDERÓN: Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policy. She says he is causing fear throughout the communities. In an exclusive interview, I spoke to her with regard to this and other issues such as Venezuela, the Democratic Party and her political aspirations.

I want to start with something, a topic that is impacting our hispanic community. President Trump promised to support criminals. 

KAMALA HARRIS: Yeah

CALDERÓN: Yet, we have seen law abiding immigrants being violently detained on the streets…

HARRIS: Yeah.

CALDERÓN: …separation of families, racial profiling- what are your thoughts about what we are seeing across the country today?

HARRIS: It is important that America has enforceable laws. And he promised that what he was going to do in terms of immigration enforcement was go after criminals. That's not what it's been. It's been about creating profound fear in communities where children are afraid to go to school- parents are afraid to send their children to school. And it is inhumane to create this kind of fear among whole communities of people that are hard working and are in every way abiding by the law. If he's going to go after criminals, do that, but this has not been what that enforcement action has played out as.

CALDERÓN: I want to talk about Venezuela, Madam Vice President, because the opposition has tried many ways to remove Maduro from power, including elections where the opposition got 70 percent of the vote against 30 percent of the vote for Maduro, but still he remains in power, he refused to leave. Now United States have been putting pressure on the regime. Do you think that justifies the pressure and the possible action of United States?

HARRIS: I strongly believe the American government should not be attempting to change regimes around the world. The American people do not want to go to war and and do not want to go to war in the Caribbean, do not want to send American troops to fight this fight, whatever this fight is that Donald Trump thinks that he has the sole authority to wage.

CALDERÓN: You mentioned that you are not running and you clarified you're not running for the governor of California, and you haven't been clear about if you're running or not for president in 2028. You said that you are not done, but I would like to know what would you base that decision on.

HARRIS: There are going to be many factors. Um- I've obviously run for president before and I can tell you that it’s not a decision one makes alone. Running for president, I think it may look easier than it is and it involves a lot of people, especially the people who love you and are in your life and care about you. Um, you have to know why you're running and as far as I'm concerned you have to do it when you understand and have a sense of connection to what the people need and want.

CALDERÓN: More of the interview on all of the news programming on Noticias 24/7, on Vix.

 

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