During a heated discussion on MSNBC, host Symone Sanders-Townsend clashed with co-host Michael Steele and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts over the controversial topic of immigration. The conversation took a sharp turn when Steele used the term “illegal immigrant,” prompting an immediate rebuke from Sanders-Townsend.
As Steele began to ask Roberts about his stance on illegal immigrants, Sanders-Townsend, a former aide to Senator Bernie Sanders, cut him off sharply. “I want to be clear; we don’t use the term illegal. They’re undocumented individuals,” she insisted, interrupting Steele mid-sentence.
Roberts, known for steering the Heritage Foundation towards a more MAGA-aligned conservative stance, wasn’t about to concede to the politically correct language. With a touch of sarcasm, he retorted, “That’s sweet. They’re illegal aliens.”
Steele, attempting to navigate the tense exchange, corrected himself to use the term “undocumented individuals.” He then accused Roberts of unfairly tarnishing all illegal immigrants by highlighting instances of criminal behavior among them. “What you’re saying is because you have this instance of individuals behaving badly then that’s a reflection of every individual in that community,” Steele argued.
Sanders-Townsend joined in, claiming that undocumented immigrants are statistically less likely to commit crimes than American citizens. She cited a statistic from Texas, stating, “In Texas, undocumented immigrants were 37.1% less likely to be convicted of a crime.”
Roberts, undeterred, brought up the tragic case of Laken Riley, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant. “Tell that to the survivors of these people,” he said pointedly. “Tell that to the survivors of the young lady killed in Georgia. What do you tell the parents of those people, those young girls who were killed?”
Sanders-Townsend accused Roberts of using a horrific murder to smear millions of people. “You are weaponizing a horrific murder to smear 11 million people,” she charged. Roberts fired back, blaming the Biden administration for weaponizing the government against American citizens. “What Joe Biden is doing is weaponizing the entire government against every American,” he asserted.
The debate also touched on potential solutions under a conservative administration. Roberts outlined a hardline approach to immigration enforcement. “First of all, we need to close the border. And secondly, we need to have the biggest mass deportation system ever in the history of America because it is unjust and illegal and evil that more than 10 million illegal aliens have come to this country,” Roberts stated. He emphasized the need for immigrants to follow legal channels. “It’s imperative that we send those people back, invite them back to come through the legal system. We love immigrants and heritage, but we also love the rule of law.”
This fiery exchange underscores the deep divisions in America’s ongoing debate over immigration policy and the language used to discuss it. While Sanders-Townsend and Steele advocated for more inclusive terminology and a nuanced view of undocumented immigrants, Roberts stood firm on a stringent, law-and-order approach. The conversation reflects broader national tensions and the challenges of finding common ground on this contentious issue.
