Pro-Trump Host Shrugs Off ICE Critics In Heated Debate After Shootings: ‘Has Anyone Been Charged with Murder?’
Republican radio show host Jason Rantz pushed back during a CNN debate on the claim that ICE is “randomly killing people” following fatal shootings in Maine and Texas.
On CNN’s Table for Five Saturday, the group debated responses to the ICE shootings and Rantz noted no ICE agents have been charged with murder after two people in two states were fatally shot in the span of a week.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot and killed by ICE during a July 7 traffic stop in Houston. Officials claim Araujo attempted to flee and used his vehicle as a weapon. Joan Sebastian Guerrero was shot and killed by ICE in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday, and officials also alleged the suspect attempted to flee the scene.
During the discussion Rantz blasted “sanctuary” city laws and argued ICE has tried “getting ahead of the narrative” only because of constant negative media attention.
He conceded that ICE should be “better at acknowledging when mistakes are made:”
I think part of getting ahead of the narrative is because any time there’s any kind of action, the response has always been that ICE is 100% to blame and that the person who might have ended up becoming a victim or was the one who was the target for a reason is somehow playing no role whatsoever in this. In both of these cases we heard from ICE suggesting that both of the people who were shot and killed fled and they used their vehicle to flee. We should be having a conversation, at least in part, to say, do not do that. Stop doing that.
Sara Sidner, filling in for Abby Phillip, pushed back, noting that “unlike the movies,” you cannot shoot someone simply for fleeing.
Communications strategist and CNN commentator Xochitl Hinojosa argued ICE does not use proper “use of force” or deescalation methods that other agencies use.
“I don’t understand why the FBI, DEA, and other law enforcement agencies aren’t out killing innocent people. I mean, that is just the reality. They’re out with killing the bad guys,” she said.
Cari Champion then jumped in.
“To her point, this is the first time we’re seeing this. Other agencies aren’t just randomly killing people,” she said.
Rantz diagreed, but Champion pushed back.
“They are actually randomly killing people,” Champion said.
“So this is random? They’re going around and they’re choosing people that they’re going to kill?” Rantz asked.
“In fact, because they do have a quota in place of 2,000 arrests per day. They are actually probably not trained to do their job effectively in the way in which they should. And they should be partnering with other agencies so that this job can be done effectively,” Champion shot back.
“How is it random?” Rantz asked, rejecting Champion’s take the fatalities amounted to “murder.”
“What’s your definition of murder?” Champion asked.
“The purposeful taking of life. That’s unlawful. Has anyone been charged with murder here?” Rantz asked
Watch above via CNN.
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