An MSNBC segment on illegal immigration was briefly interrupted after a co-host chided her colleague for using the term “illegal immigrant.”
During a segment of MSNBC’s “The Weekend,” co-host Symone Sanders-Townsend confronted Kevin Roberts, the head of the conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation, about the issue of illegal immigration and crime.
Roberts argued he could spend the remainder of the segment sharing examples of people who crossed the border illegally committing crimes in the U.S. Specifically, he cited the example of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly strangled by two migrants who illegally crossed the border.
However, Sanders-Townsend interjected to highlight polls that found illegal immigrants were less likely to be convicted of a crime.
“Well, what do you tell the parents of [murder victims]. This is an absurdity,” Roberts asked.
Co-host Michael Steele asked, “What is the difference between an illegal immigrant who unfortunately engages in that activity…”
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Before he could complete his question, Sanders-Townsend promptly interjected, “I want to be clear, we don’t use the term illegal — undocumented individuals.”
Roberts quipped, “That’s sweet. They’re illegal aliens.”
Steele then corrected himself to use the MSNBC approved language, saying, “Yeah, we don’t. Undocumented individuals.”
Steele then asked Roberts what percentage of illegal immigrants “that you want to get rid of actually commit crimes.”
“Our analysis in Texas, Georgia, and New York, shows that a preponderance of the illegals who have come in are unattached males … and the disproportionate number of them are people who are not even making any attempt to be legal,” Roberts responded.
Sanders-Townsend accused Roberts of using the murder of a 12-year-old to smear millions of migrants.
