Two Republicans got more than they bargained for during a heated CNN segment Wednesday night, as a former MSNBC host called their remarks "disturbing" and asked them to consider how they'll be remembered in the annals of history.
The fiery segment occurred on CNN's "NewsNight" during a discussion over due process and whether the administration should send suspected gang members to El Salvador without a court hearing.
Former Wisconsin Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes went toe to toe with GOP strategist Shermichael Singleton, noting the Trump administration isn't only looking to deport undocumented immigrants, they're looking into "homegrowns" as well, meaning American citizens who commit crimes.
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"Homegrowns — people who were born here, people who have citizenship. They've already floated the idea of revoking people's citizenship," noted Barnes. "So for the people you talk to, that you mentioned, that say, 'This may not apply to me'—I guarantee you, there will be something that applies to you."
Barnes compared the deportation of people to prisons without due process to World War II-era actions.
"That is essentially sending people to internment camps, like what we did in World War II," he said.
Abel Maldonado, a Republican former California lieutenant governor, asserted that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland father mistakenly sent to El Salvador, was denied political asylum, and a deportation order for him was paused.
"Now he has an El Salvador problem — he doesn't have a Trump USA problem," Maldonado insisted, prompting former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross to shout back, "He does have a Trump USA problem!"
"He's not coming back because they're not bringing him back!" Cross later added.
Maldonado attacked Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for not "talk[ing] to the woman here who lost her daughter in Maryland," but "go[ing] down to El Salvador to try to bring an amnesty process back to America."
And Cross wasn't having any of it.
"What does that have to," she began, cutting him off. "OK can I just say. It is disturbing that you are sitting here —"
As she tried to interject, Maldanado talked over her.
"It is disturbing, you are sitting here defending the lack of due process to have the government disappear people and take them to El Salvador," she railed.
As the two continued talking over each other Cross demanded to know from the Republicans, "For you and you who are defending this — how do you think history will remember you?"
"You mean, how do you think — when we look back at this time — when the government is disappearing people, and you two sat on this stage and said, “Oh, well, that's okay.”
But Maldonado didn't budge.
"This is a gentleman who obviously has had issues. We’re finding out more and more and more. And the Democrat Party and Van Hollen — I think they’re on the wrong side of this. There was a mistake made. He’s in El Salvador. He should get a lawyer in El Salvador to get out of the prison. But he’s not coming to the USA."
Watch the full clip below or at this link.
