‘I’m Black — You’re Not!’ CNN Newsnight Erupts Over Trump Deportations as Slavery Gets Invoked

CNN anchor Abby Phillip wound up refereeing a wild fracas when a discussion of President Donald Trump’s deportation policies was derailed by a mention of enslaved Black people.

On Wednesday’s edition of CNN NewsNight, Phillip convened a panel that included Ana Navarro, Scott Jennings, Shermichael Singleton, Dan Koh, Raul Reyes, and Gretchen Carlson.

Things got heated when Navarro made a remark about slavery that Singleton interpreted as equating enslaved people with undocumented immigrants and migrants who enter the country unlawfully:

NAVARRO: You know who was here illegally before the deportation order? Marco Rubio’s grandfather.

PHILLIP: OK. All right. Let’s —

SINGLETON: We’re not talking about Marco Rubio.

NAVARRO: We’re not, no. That’s not relevant?

SINGLETON: It’s not relevant. It’s not relevant to this conversation at all.

NAVARRO: No, I’m talking about Marco Rubio because Marco Rubio used to be an advocate for TPS for Venezuelans, and Marco Rubio used to be —

SINGLETON: Well, I’m not Marco Rubio and I’m not Nicaraguan. And let me tell you my beliefs.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: — an advocate for Nicaraguans and Cubans. No, I know you’re not.

SINGLETON: If you come to this country illegally, you are going home. Simple as that.

PHILLIP: OK.

SINGLETON: We do not have unlimited resources in this country —

PHILLIP: I think a lot of Americans —

SINGLETON: — to take care of other people.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: There’s a hell of a lot other people other than the black people who were brought here as slaves who came to this country illegally.

SINGLETON: They are not the same as black people who were brought here against our will. They decided to walk their butts (ph) across the border.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: That’s exactly what I said. I said there is a lot of people —

(CROSSTALK) NAVARRO: — other than the black people.

SINGLETON: There’s a big difference. There’s a big difference.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIP: Shermichael — Shermichael and Ana.

NAVARRO: You’re acting indignant.

PHILLIP: OK.

NAVARRO: That’s exactly what I just said.

SINGLETON: I’m not acting indignant.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIP: Let me just — Shermichael, stop. Ana and Shermichael —

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: There are a lot of people —

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIP: I think you actually misheard what she — I think you misheard what she said.

NAVARRO: No. He pushed me.

PHILLIP: She said —

SINGLETON: That I purposely misheard? Now you’re in my brain?

PHILLIP: Listen to me for a second.

SINGLETON: Is that is that where we’re going?

PHILLIP: Shermichael —

NAVARRO: You think I will say I will have advocated for black people my entire life and say something like that?

SINGLETON: Because you’ve advocated for black people, great. Congratulations. Last time I checked, I’m black. You’re not.

PHILLIP: OK. Shermichael —

NAVARRO: That’s right. I’m Latino, and my people are being racially profiled.

(CROSSTALK)

SINGLETON: And do I have to remind you the history of my people?

PHILLIP: Shermichael —

SINGLETON: Do you want to go there?

NAVARRO: I don’t —

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: I actually know the history of your people.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIP: Raul — we’re going to go on a break. Raul Reyes, thank you very much for joining us. Everybody else, hang tight. We’ll be right back.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: History was not in place when I was studying history —

Watch above via CNN NewsNight.