Kamala Harris’ past support for progressive policies is under scrutiny again, as a 2019 questionnaire from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) resurfaces.

As CNN reports, the document highlights Harris’ endorsement of policies that include taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries for detained immigrants and federal prisoners, as well as significant cuts to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

Images from Kamala Harris’ visit to Carson City. Supporters gathered at The Union to hear and see the presidential candidate in downtown Carson City on Tuesday evening April 2, 2019. Kamala Harris Visits Carson City 30

The questionnaire, which Harris completed while running for president in 2020, showcases a range of left-wing stances that contrast sharply with her current attempts to appear more centrist.

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These positions, once seen as bold and progressive, are now resurfacing and drawing criticism as Harris shifts her tone to appeal to a broader, more moderate voter base in her 2024 campaign.

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris campaigns on Aug. 29, 2024, in Savannah, Ga.

In the ACLU questionnaire, Harris openly supported the decriminalization of federal drug possession for personal use and expressed her desire to “end immigration detention,” a move that would have upended immigration enforcement policies nationwide.

She also called for significantly reducing ICE’s budget and limiting its power, aligning herself with the far-left wing of the Democratic Party at the time, reflecting her strong advocacy for a more lenient approach to immigration and criminal justice reform.

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The questionnaire, which has seen little media attention until now, was reposted by the ACLU after Harris became the presumptive vice-presidential nominee in 2020. CNN further reports that similar questionnaires from other candidates in the 2020 race, including Joe Biden, were not reposted by the ACLU.

Perhaps the most controversial stance highlighted in the document is Harris’ support for providing gender transition surgeries to federal prisoners and detained immigrants.

When asked whether she would ensure that transgender individuals in government custody would have access to comprehensive medical treatment, including surgeries, Harris simply answered, “Yes.” She elaborated that transgender individuals should receive the treatment they need, further explaining her belief in using taxpayer funds for these surgeries.

Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris addresses supporters at Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
Image Credit: David Sokol/Wicked Local-USA TODAY NETWORK

Despite her past support for these policies, Harris has since pivoted to a more centrist tone. Her campaign has emphasized that while her positions may have evolved, her core values remain intact. However, the stark differences between Harris’ earlier progressive positions and her current rhetoric, especially regarding immigration.

Harris’ previous support for drastic cuts to ICE and her push to end immigration detention stands in stark contrast to the more measured approach she has adopted as Vice President. Whether these contradictions will affect her 2024 presidential campaign is still uncertain, but the resurfacing of the ACLU questionnaire brings her earlier progressive agenda back into focus, as CNN notes.