Cambridge Definition of ‘Czar’ Seemingly Synonymous with Border Role Given to Kamala Harris

The Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of the term “czar” is closely associated with the role that President Joe Biden gave to Vice President Kamala Harris, now running for the Democrat nomination for president, in 2021 when he asked her to help in “stemming the migration to our southern border.”

In March 2021, Biden asked Harris to lead the administration’s effort in “stemming the movement of so many folks, stemming the migration to our southern border.” As a result, many media outlets and lawmakers referred to Harris as the “border czar.”

The Cambridge Dictionary defines a “czar” as “a person who has been given special powers by the government to deal with a particular matter” — a near match for the role given to Harris overseeing issues related to illegal immigration.

On Wednesday, as Harris kicks off her presidential bid, her campaign team, as well as establishment media, has sought to rewrite her role overseeing the inflow of millions of migrants from Mexico and Central America and how to prevent it.

Axios, in particular, published a report that states Harris “never actually had” the title “border czar.” Though Biden himself has not used the term, several media outlets, including Axios, and lawmakers have used it as a shorthand to describe Harris’s position.

In April 2021, Axios described Harris as the “border czar” in a piece, “The number of unaccompanied minors crossing the border has reached crisis levels. Harris, appointed by Biden as border czar, said she would be looking at the ‘root causes’ that drive migration. [Emphasis added]”

At least on two separate occasions, Axios used the term “border czar” to refer to Harris, according to CNN reporter Andy Kaczynski:

Likewise, the BBC referred to Harris as the “border czar” in March 2021:

Announcing Ms Harris’s appointment as his immigration czar, Mr Biden told reporters and officials at the White House: “She’s the most qualified person to do it, to lead our efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle [Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador], and the countries that are going to need help in stemming the movement of so many folks – stemming the migration to our southern border.” [Emphasis added]

In April 2021, the Washington Post published a story noting that Republican lawmakers had started referring to Harris as the “border czar” for the Biden administration and mentioned that Harris had “rejected” the title, though she struggled to ever define her role:

But the Republican effort also highlights the administration’s difficulty in defining Harris’s new role for the public. In a stream of news briefings, interviews and statements, the administration — and Harris herself — have struggled to make clear which problems Harris is trying to solve and what is outside her purview. [Emphasis added]

Harris’s mission, as directed by Biden, is to meet with heads of state and other officials to tackle the enduring problems, including poverty and violence, that spur people south of the U.S. border with Mexico to migrate to the United States. She is also being briefed by an array of experts on policies that affect the flow of migrants. [Emphasis added]

But administration officials, from the president down, have stressed that she is not responsible for dealing with the surge of migrants at the border, including the record number of unaccompanied minors. [Emphasis added]

Politico, in March 2021, sought to distance Harris from the title of “border czar,” referring to her instead as a “point person on immigration issues at the nation’s southern border.” “Point person” shares a close description with “czar,” which Merriam-Webster defines as “a person (such as a principal spokesperson or advocate) who is in the forefront.”

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow him on Twitter here.