‘Hello? Hold On!’: CNN Anchor Balks When Republican Says Gang Members Don’t Get Citizens’ Rights

CNN anchor Abby Phillip appeared frustrated with Republican commentator Scott Jennings when he argued that illegal alien gang members should not be afforded the same rights that American citizens enjoy.

Jennings made the point during a Monday evening appearance on Phillips’ show, “CNN NewsNight,” explaining that he put U.S. citizens and illegal aliens “in a different category” — and argued that simply walking across the southern border illegally should not automatically confer the rights of citizens on everyone who does so.

WATCH;

????CNN's Abby Phillip treats Scott Jennings like a TODDLER while he calmly explains his common-sense position:

JENNINGS: "If you're a U.S. citizen, I put you in a different category."

PHILLIP: "On due process, that's not a distinction that the law makes, Scott!"

JENNINGS: "If… pic.twitter.com/J4bfTvc8MK

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Phillip suggested that the United States deporting criminal gang members — many of whom had committed violent crimes in addition to crossing the border illegally — was no different than countries like Russia detaining American citizens without trial.

“Isn’t this exactly what we denounce other countries for doing? Not giving our own citizens, when they get wrongfully detained around the world, our own citizens, the due process that they deserve?” Phillip asked.

“Well, I think that multiple things could be true,” Jennings replied. “Number one, I delineate between American citizens and everyone else. If you’re a U.S. citizen, I put you in a different category.”

“On due process, that’s not a distinction that the law makes,” Phillip objected.

“If you come here — if you’ve come here and broken our laws,” Jennings continued as Phillip repeatedly attempted to interrupt, “And committed violent acts or murdered and raped, whatever, I put you in a different category.”

“On due process, that is not a distinction,” Phillip insisted again.

“If you’d like to argue that Tren de Aragua should have the same rights that you get as an American citizen, go ahead! You’re saying that a terrorist can walk across the border and become effectively a U.S. citizen?” Jennings said.

“Scott?! Hello?! Hold on! Scott. Look at me,” Phillip tried again. “Okay? You and I are talking. I’m talking to you. What I’m saying is that the law does not make a distinction between U.S. citizens and everybody else when it comes to being accused of crimes. Are you saying that should not be in place?”

“These people are effectively terrorists. They walked across our borders illegally. They are violent, and I don’t really want them here,” Jennings said, agreeing that the government would have to account for who they had detained and deported at some point. “There is no doubt that the Trump administration is rounding up, effectively, terrorists who came across here illegally, committed horrific acts and do not need to be in this country.”

“They are doing that, perhaps, but they’re also doing a lot of other things, too,” Phillip responded.