During Saturday’s edition of The Weekend on MSNBC, co-host Symone Sanders-Townsend got her priorities all wrong as she interrupted a discussion on murders committed by illegal immigrants to complain about the term “illegal immigrant,” claiming “we don't use” the term.
When discussing the supposed horrors that will come with a second Donald Trump presidency, MSNBC will often invoke the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 as proof that such a dystopian future is not just the figment of their imaginations, but on Saturday’s show, Sanders-Townsend and co-host/former RNC chairman Michael Steele actually welcomed Heritage Pres. Kevin Roberts onto their show to discuss the contents himself.
Neither Sanders-Townsend nor Steele were pleased with the idea of mass deportations or the idea that they are justified because of crime, with Sanders-Townsend declaring that, “In Texas, undocumented immigrants were 37.1 percent less likely to be convicted of a crime, undocumented immigrants, according to a survey, University of California Riverside study, 37 percent less likely to be imprisoned as of 2021.”
Roberts suggested that she “tell that to the survivors of the young lady killed in Texas.”
After Sanders-Townsend insisted she was “just giving the numbers,” Roberts continued, “Well, what do you tell the parents of those people, those young girls that are being killed? This is absurd. The preponderance of these folks, Michael, are male—”
Steele then interrupted to ask, “What is the difference between an illegal immigrant who, unfortunately, engages in that activity?”
While he was pressing Roberts from the left, the use of “illegal” suggests that the old Republican is still there, albeit buried somewhere deep within Steele’s memory, which did not sit well with Sanders-Townsend, who interrupted him interrupting Roberts, “And we don’t like— I want to be clear. We don't use the term 'illegal' for undocumented individuals.”
Roberts was unamused, claiming “they’re illegal aliens,” but folding like a cheap lawn fair, Steele proceeded, “Yeah, we don’t— undocumented individuals versus anyone else who commits the same crime? I mean, if so, what you're saying is because you have this instance of individuals behaving badly, that, that’s a reflection of every individual in that community and that's just not the case.”
Rejecting the premise, Roberts tried to get his point in, “No, what is the case is that because the preponderance—”
Interrupting one more time, Steele reiterated, “I just want to clarify my question, that’s what I am trying to do. What percentage of those individuals that you want to get rid of, move out of the country actually commit crimes?”
Roberts answered, “Our analysis in Texas, Georgia, and New York shows that a preponderance of the illegals who have come in are unattached male and they’re— unattached males and the disproportionate number of them are people who are not even making any attempt to be legal.”
As Steele and Roberts continued to back and forth over whether a specific number is necessary to make Roberts’s point, Sanders-Townsend interjected to try to shame Roberts, “I just would say, and if Alicia [Menendez] were sitting here and you could hear her, she would say, that you are weaponizing a horrific murder to smear 11 million people and that is what is—”
Roberts labeled that “a laughable assertion.”
Which it is. Steele’s argument about percentages misses the point that they should not be in the country in the first place and the Texas case Roberts mentioned is just the latest example of the perpetrators having been previously released.
Here is a transcript for the June 22 show:
MSNBC The Weekend
6/22/2024
8:39 AM ET
SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: In Texas, undocumented immigrants were 37.1 percent less likely to be convicted of a crime, undocumented immigrants, according to a survey, University of California Riverside study, 37 percent less likely to be imprisoned as of 2021.
KEVIN ROBERTS: Tell that to the survivors of the young lady killed in Texas.
SANDERS-TOWNSEND: I'm just giving the numbers.
ROBERTS: Well, what do you tell the parents of those people, those young girls that are being killed? This is absurd. The preponderance of these folks, Michael, are male—
MICHAEL STEELE: What is the difference between an illegal immigrant who, unfortunately, engages in that activity?
SANDERS-TOWNSEND: And we don’t like— I want to be clear. We don't use the term “illegal” for undocumented individuals.
ROBERTS: They’re illegal aliens.
STEELE: Yeah, we don’t— undocumented individuals versus anyone else who commits the same crime? I mean, if so, what you're saying is because you have this instance of individuals behaving badly, that, that’s a reflection of every individual in that community and that's just not the case.
ROBERTS: No, what is the case is that because the preponderance—
STEELE: I mean, what percentage of those people, the 11 million that you want to deport—
ROBERTS: I’ll answer your question.
STEELE: I just want to clarify my question, that’s what I am trying to do. What percentage of those individuals that you want to get rid of, move out of the country actually commit crimes?
ROBERTS: Our analysis in Texas, Georgia, and New York shows that a preponderance of the illegals who have come in—
STEELE: What’s that number?
ROBERTS: — are unattached male and they’re— unattached males and the disproportionate number of them are people who are not even making any attempt to be legal.
STEELE: What is that number?
ROBERTS: Obviously a large number.
STEELE: Are you talking 10 out of 1,000 or are you talking, you know, I am just trying to get a number.
SANDERS-TOWNSEND: I just would say and if Alicia, if were sitting here and you could hear her, she would say, that you are weaponizing a horrific murder to smear 11 million people and that is what is—
ROBERTS: That is a laughable assertion.
