Conservative CNN panelist Scott Jennings has been called “demented” during a heated debate with a school shooting survivor 23 years his junior.
Jennings was playing his usual role as the NewsNight panel’s conservative lightning rod when he defended ICE’s surge in Minnesota because, he said, “They have to chase down illegals.”
The use of the word “illegals” rankled 25-year-old Parkland High School shooting survivor and fellow panelist Cameron Kasky, who snapped back, “You don’t get to say the word ‘illegals’ anymore.”
Jennings, 48, was clearly frustrated by being told what to say, and proceeded to dig in his heels in a machismo-laced, arms-folded defense.
“I don’t? Who are you to tell me what I can and can‘t say? I‘ve never met you, brother. I can say whatever I want. They‘re illegal aliens. And that‘s what the law calls them. Illegal aliens. That‘s what I‘m going to call them.”
The anti-gun violence advocate then tried to clarify, suggesting that it wasn’t a matter of political correctness, but rather one of accuracy. “Listen, you can‘t say illegals anymore because ICE is directly targeting legal citizens of this country,” he said.
Jennings had a more parochial concern. “How are you going to enforce your edict on me? Just out of curiosity. I want to know why he gets to instruct my speech?”
Other panel members begged Jennings to let the younger man make his point.
“No, no, I want to know.”
Before they cut to a commercial, Kasky was given the final word by guest host John Berman. “I understand that your job is predicated on just getting increasingly more demented every single week, and that the audience comes back to see if perhaps…
“Make your point,” Berman interjected.
“My point is that you‘re saying the word illegals, but you don’t even really know what‘s happening. Or actually, I think you do. You‘re doing this on purpose.”
“Yes, because I want the law enforced,” Jennings said, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
“They are not just targeting illegal immigrants. They are targeting natural-born U.S. citizens, that is a fact,” Kasky said.
Arms still folded, head down looking at the floor, Jennings repeated four times as Kasky spoke: “They are not. They are not. They are not. They are not,” occasionally adding in a little head swipe from side to side.
“You cannot deny that, I mean, you can on national television, you deny facts all the time.”
Jennings went back to his demand again: “I still want to know how you’re going to enforce your language edict on me.”
“Oh, for God’s sakes,” a fellow panel member could be heard saying in the background.
Jennings had been defending ICE actions in Minnesota, where 3,000 federal agents implement Donald Trump’s mass deportation drive have taken over the city.
Earlier this month, that tension spilled over when ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, Renee Good.
Now, Minnesota has become the front line in the government’s hardline immigration crackdown, as federal officials clash with key political figures in the state including Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
At the time of writing, the government has said it does not plan to investigate the shooting that claimed Good’s life, despite widespread outrage across the country and internationally.
Reports of incidents where U.S. citizens have been arrested in ICE’s raids have been widespread, with Pro Publica revealing in an investigation that it had found 170 such cases.
Despite this, the administration has remained steadfast in its position.
“ICE does NOT arrest or deport US citizens. If a US citizen is arrested, it is because they have obstructed or assaulted law enforcement,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said.
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