Vice President Kamala Harris, whom placeholder President Joe Biden put in charge of the border crisis, declared on Wednesday that she is investigating its “root causes” and that it “will take some time to see the benefits of that work” — despite the fact that the border is being overrun by a tsunami of illegal aliens now.

“You know, to use a phrase from an old television show, Cheers, you know, ‘where everybody knows your name,’” she said, reciting lyrics from the show’s theme song. “Most people don’t want to leave home.”

Harris argued that migrants to the United States are motivated to leave their home countries because they are afraid of physical harm or are unable to meet their economic needs. She also raised the challenges of the “severe climate experiences” in the region.

Harris also said she wants to work through the United Nations to “internationalize” the crisis and get American allies involved in the region.

She said that “making sure that women and girls are being protected and have the opportunities that they deserve to have” is another one of her priorities in the region.

“That’s the work that I’m prepared to do, which is to begin that process of meaningful work, knowing that we’re going to have to have a long-term strategy,” she said. “And it will take some time to see the benefits of that work, but it will be worth it.”

Rhetorical question of the day: why isn’t Harris at the border itself, directing immediate action to staunch the serious bleeding?