MSNBC’s Chris Hayes joined NBC’s Late Night host Seth Meyers on Thursday for his third visit to a late night comedy show since the start of the year. As Hayes sees things, it is not Democratic politicians pulling stunts trying to get a viral moment in their interactions with ICE or DHS, but rather the Trump Administration, and this should lead people to be both “enraged and freaked out.”
Meyers recalled, “There's, you know, obviously the scarier stuff that is happening. You know, we saw a couple of, you know, elected officials in this country, mayoral candidate Brad Lander, here in New York City, he got detained by ICE. And you talked to him right afterwards. Like, I mean, was he still—was he shocked by what had happened.”
Hayes replied that, “He was pretty shocked. I mean, one of the things I think that's important context for the comptroller, Brad Lander, was he's been doing this for weeks.”
While not referencing California Sen. Alex Padilla by name, it was clear who Hayes was referring to when he added, “So, there's this story that ICE and DHS, and the Trump folks want to tell of, like, these Democratic politicians are trying to pull stunts. Like, he's been going and doing this for weeks. And what's clear is, I think, they like the show of force and the spectacle of physically restraining and detaining members of Congress. I really do think that is part of it. And people should be both enraged and freaked out by that, which I think, you know, at least the people in this room are.”
Back on Earth 2, liberal politicians are constantly finding ways to get themselves arrested because they think it helps their brand because they know they will be released, just like Padilla was, and there is no actual risk.
Here is a transcript for the June 19-taped show:
NBC Late Night with Seth Meyers
6/20/2025
1:05 AM ET
SETH MEYERS: There's, you know, obviously the scarier stuff that is happening. You know, we saw a couple of, you know, elected officials in this country, mayoral candidate Brad Lander, here in New York City, he got detained by ICE.
CHRIS HAYES: Yeah.
MEYERS: And you talked to him right afterwards. Like, I mean, was he still—was he shocked by what had happened? Yeah.
HAYES: He was pretty shocked. I mean, one of the things I think that's important context for the comptroller, Brad Lander, was he's been doing this for weeks.
MEYERS: Right.
HAYES: So, there's this story that ICE and DHS, and the Trump folks want to tell of, like, these Democratic politicians are trying to pull stunts. Like, he's been going and doing this for weeks.
MEYERS: Right.
HAYES: And what's clear is, I think, they like the show of force and the spectacle —
MEYERS: Right.
HAYES: —of physically restraining and detaining members of Congress.
MEYERS: Yes.
HAYES: I really do think that is part of it. And people should be both enraged and freaked out by that, which I think, you know, at least the people in this room are.
