‘Hold On Scott! Look At Me!’ CNN’s Abby Phillip Puts Brakes on Scott Jennings in Trump Deportation Clash

CNN anchor Abby Phillip had to rein in GOP analyst Scott Jennings on Monday night during a free-for-all on the lack of due process for migrants swept up in President Donald Trump’s mass deportation scheme.

Amid the turmoil and legal challenges surrounding Trump’s deportation flights, widespread criticism has emerged over the lack of due process involved.

On Monday’s edition of CNN NewsNight, a debate on the issue got so out of hand that Phillip was compelled to tell Jennings “Scott! Look at me,” but stopped short of saying “I’m the captain now”:

PHILLIP: So, Scott, isn’t this exactly what we denounce other countries for doing? Not giving our — our own citizens when they get wrongfully detained around the world, our own citizens, the due process that they deserve?

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

PHILLIP: On due process, that’s not a distinction.

JENNINGS: Then if you — then if you come here and if you’ve come here and broken our laws and committed violent acts or murdered and raped and whatever, I– I put you in a category.

PHILLIP: When it comes to law and due process, that is not a distinction.

JENNINGS: Well —

PHILLIP: If you are here —

JENNINGS: Well, if you’d like to argue that Tren de Aragua should have the same rights and that — that you get as an American citizen, go ahead.

PHILLIP: Scott, Scott, I’m — here’s the argument.

UNKNOWN: Change the constitution.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIP: The argument is —

JENNINGS: So, you’re saying that a terrorist can walk across the border and become effectively a U.S. citizen?

LEONARD: That’s not what I’m saying.

PHILLIP: Scott, Scott, hello. Hold on, hold! Scott. Look at me, okay?

UNKNOWN: Yeah, who’s being the host here?

(CROSSTALK)

JENNINGS: Welcome back.

PHILLIP: You and I are talking, okay? What I’m saying to you is that the law does not make a distinction between U.S. citizens and everybody else when it comes to being accused of crimes. DO — are — are you saying that that should not be in place? That if you happen to not be a citizen, you get to be thrown into a jail with no process at all?

JENNINGS: I’m saying that these people are effectively terrorists. They walked across our borders illegally.

PHILLIP: Okay.

JENNINGS: They are violent. I don’t really want them here.

PHILLIP: But doesn’t the government have to prove that they are who they say they are?

UNKNOWN: Correct, all we’re saying.

JENNINGS: I think —

PHILIIP: That’s all. I mean, you can say it —

JENNINGS: Eventually —

PHILLIP: It’s not a concession that you like Tren de Aragua. It’s just a question of the basics of civics in this country.

JENNINGS: I think eventually, the government will have to show all of

its cards on everybody that they have detained, deported, or done anything to in this arena. But there is no doubt — 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.

PHILLIP: They — they are doing that, perhaps, but they’re also doing a lot of other things, too, and that’s why the courts are asking questions about it.

Watch above via CNN NewsNight.