The Democratic Party’s stance on illegal immigration just became even clearer—American laws should take a backseat to cheap labor. On CNN’s *NewsNight with Abby Phillip*, Democratic strategist Jenna Arnold made a jaw-dropping argument: illegal immigrants are needed in the U.S. to do work like *picking strawberries.*
The panel discussion revolved around President Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration, including crackdowns on employers who knowingly hire workers in the country illegally. Conservative commentator Scott Jennings rightfully pointed out that immigration enforcement must hold all participants accountable.
“If you are trying to actively hire illegal immigrants, if you think that’s best, if you are trying to game the system, if you are trying to help someone break U.S. federal immigration law, I think if we’re going to have a true crackdown on illegal immigration in this country, it has to involve everybody who’s participating in it,” Jennings stated.
Rather than address the harm illegal immigration inflicts on American workers, Arnold quickly pivoted to the tired left-wing argument that the U.S. economy somehow depends on illegal labor.
“I don’t want to hear that they’re doing work that no one else will do,” said Bill Stephen, a former Trump White House official. “Talk to guys in the building trades, plumbers, contractors—”
Arnold, cutting him off, shot back with her now-infamous retort: “Picking strawberries.”
It’s a familiar talking point from the left—Americans supposedly won’t take these jobs, so the country *must* turn a blind eye to illegal immigration. Stephen wasn’t having it.
“These building trades guys are being hurt by labor that shouldn’t be here,” he fired back.
But Arnold doubled down. She then bizarrely suggested that enforcing immigration law would lead to a national crisis over blueberries.
“I can’t wait until American women can’t get blueberries for their smoothies,” she quipped, seemingly mocking the idea of law enforcement cracking down on small businesses hiring illegal workers.
Her remarks ignored the real issue: unchecked illegal labor drives down wages, hurts legal workers, and incentivizes more illegal crossings. Instead of promoting policies that prioritize American workers, Democrats like Arnold seem more concerned about *smoothie ingredients*.
Jennings made it clear: under Trump, those who broke the law will face consequences.
“If you came here illegally, you know you broke the law,” he said. “You have to understand, it’s a new day in America.”
He also dismissed the left’s doomsday claims about the economy collapsing if illegal immigrants are deported.
“I still think the case for total economic collapse, if we have some deportation, is totally overstated,” he argued, adding that law enforcement is prioritizing violent criminals and those with existing deportation orders.
Despite the left’s hysteria, America has functioned just fine enforcing immigration laws in the past—and will continue to do so. The only ones truly panicking are those who have grown comfortable exploiting the system.