Someone breaks into your house. They're arrested before they attack anyone or steal anything. Should they be set free because their "only crime" was illegally entering your house? According to Monday's MSNBC and CNN, the answer would apparently be "yes."
On Morning Joe, Jonathan Lemire fretted:
"They said the first wave would be criminals, people who committed violent crimes. But we've also heard rhetoric from those in the administration, including Stephen Miller, who was the architect of this whole program, that suggests that eventually the targets will be people whose only crimes were to enter the United States illegally. "
Similarly, over on CNN This Morning, CNN analyst Alex Thompson worried:
"The Trump administration's line, which is, it's just gang members and criminals. But in actuality, and Tom Homan has already said this over the weekend, is that there are what he calls collaterals. Which basically is, if they do a raid to find potential gang members, if there are any other undocumented immigrants that are even in their proximity, they're deporting them too. So it's not just gang members."
CNN This Morning host Kasie Hunt questioned the "humanity" of the deportation actions. She cited a case in which a Navajo woman was detained and questioned for two hours before being allowed to use her cell phone to contact a family member who sent her proof of US citizenship, upon which she was released.
For obvious reasons, it's standard procedure for people in custody not to be permitted to use cell phones immediately. Yes, it's unfortunate if US citizens were detained. But it's much more unfortunate if lax procedures allowed violent criminals to elude custody and commit heinous crimes.
Hunt also fretted about ICE agents waiting outside of a church for a suspect, and potentially going into schools given reports of gang members there. Would Hunt prefer that churches and schools be sanctuaries for violent illegal immigrants?
In response to Kasie's kvetching, Republican strategist Matt Gorman sounded a note of reason: "When it comes to hunting down gang members, I think I have a pretty large tolerance."
Note: The term "undocumented" migrants, which both CNN and Morning Joe used, implies an impending right to documentation, or a mere oversight, like forgetting to tote your library card.
However, under 8 USC 1325, such persons are "aliens" subject to fines and up to six months imprisonment for a first offense. If "illegal alien" is too harsh for liberal ears, try "illegal immigrant." But the liberal media needs to lose the deceptive "undocumented" euphemism!
Here are the transcripts.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
1/27/25
6:19 am ETJONATHAN LEMIRE: What do they hope to do next? Because that's always been the tension point. They said the first wave would be criminals, people who committed violent crimes.
But we've also heard rhetoric from those in the administration, including Stephen Miller, who was the architect of this whole program, that suggests that eventually the targets will be people whose only crimes were to enter the United States illegally.
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CNN THIS MORNING
1/27/25
6:05 am ETKASIE HUNT: This has kind of been my central question all the way along because it's clear from the polling, from the results of the election, Americans wanted tougher immigration enforcement at the border. They wanted some changes in that regard.
But we're starting to run up against the humanity of it. These reporting of these members of the Navajo Nation being held for long periods of time and one not being allowed to call a member for family to be provided with proof of American citizenship raises all the questions about profiling.
We're also reporting that ICE agents, they were outside of a church during a sermon looking for someone by a certain name who actually left during the sermon. And then, of course, Tom Homan has been saying they're going to go to schools, maybe even middle schools, because there could be gang members, right?
At what point does it become too much?
MATT GORMAN: I mean, I think when it comes to hunting down gang members, I think I have a pretty large tolerance. I don't know about other people, but look, I think a lot of what you read in the opening, whether it's Tren de Aragua, you have a lot of stuff happening in New York right now as well. Obviously, the Columbia stare down. It was a good weekend for President Trump on this issue.
. . .
ALEX THOMPSON: You're saying, basically echoing the Trump administration's line. Which is, it's just gang members and criminals.
But in actuality, and Tom Homan has already said this over the weekend, is that there are what he calls collaterals. Which basically is, if they do a raid to find potential gang members, if there are any other undocumented immigrants that are even in their proximity, they're deporting them too. So it's not just gang members.
