An image shared on Facebook purports to show a Jamaican birth certificate for 2024 Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
Verdict: False
The Facebook image is not authentic. A copy of Harris’ actual birth certificate shows she was born in Oakland, California. In addition, a spokesperson for the Registrar General’s Department of Jamaica denied the Facebook image was real in an email to Lead Stories.
Fact Check:
A new Wall Street Journal survey shows Harris in a one-point lead over 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump, according to The Hill. The survey, which follows the recent Democratic National Convention, shows Harris at 48% and Trump at 47%, the outlet reported.
The Facebook image claims to show a Jamaican birth certificate for Harris. The document, dated October 24, 1964, purports it is an authentic “copy of an entry in the Registrar General’s Department of Jamaica.”
“Kamala Harris’ birth certificate has appeared on the American social network X. The document was found in the archives of a Jamaican hospital, which is located in the same region where her father lived. The certificate casts doubt on the legitimacy of her presidential candidacy: under US law, only a “natural-born” citizen can become president. To be considered such, an American must either be born on US territory or have parents with US citizenship,” the image’s caption reads in part.
The claim is false. Check Your Fact conducted a keyword search and found a copy of Harris’ actual birth certificate, which shows she was born at the Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Oakland, California on October 20, 1964. While Harris’ father, Donald Harris’ race, is listed as Jamaican, her mother, Shyamala Gopalan’s race, is listed as Caucasian. In addition, while the elder Harris’ birthplace is listed as Jamaica and Gopalan’s birthplace is listed as India, the document shows a Berkeley residence for the couple.
Likewise, in an August 2020 article from Politico titled “55 Things You Need to Know About Kamala Harris,” the Democratic Vice President’s birthplace is listed as Oakland, California. The outlet cited a piece from The Washington Post that reiterated Harris grew up in California and her parents had immigrated to the U.S.
Additionally, Harris does not appear to have publicly commented on the Facebook image purporting to show her supposed Jamaican birth certificate. Check Your Fact also did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. On August 28, Lead Stories reported the claim was false. (RELATED: No, These Government Agencies Didn’t Donate To Kamala Harris)
A spokesperson for the Registrar General’s Department of Jamaica denied the Facebook image’s authenticity in an email to the outlet.
“The Registrar General’s Department would like to clarify that there are no birth records for Vice President Kamala Harris in our repository, as she was not born in Jamaica. We hope this information clarifies any queries regarding her place of birth,” the same spokesperson said.
Check Your Fact has also contacted the Registrar General’s Department of Jamaica for comment.