Scott Jennings Drops Inconvenient Facts About Trump's Deportation Policy in Contentious CNN Exchange

The latest illegal immigration-related story the mainstream media and Democrats want to get people outraged about revolves around a newly signed memorandum of understanding between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to share taxpayer information on illegal immigrants.

Per officials with the Treasury Department, "the MOU outlines a process to ensure that sensitive taxpayer data information is protected while allowing law enforcement to pursue criminal violations" on illegals who "have overstayed 90 days post a judge's removal order."

It was this news that prompted a contentious exchange between CNN NewsNight anchor Abby Phillip and GOP strategist Scott Jennings Monday night.

During the exchange, Phillip told Jennings that DHS suggesting that they needed the help from the IRS to locate close to seven million illegal immigrants meant they were going after more than just the "criminal" elements.

They then went back and forth over whether or not crossing the border illegally made someone a criminal. This led to Jennings dropping facts about how this was not the Biden administration, this was the Trump administration, and they aren't going to say it's okay for you to cross the border illegally as long as you don't have a criminal record.

Here's how the exchange went down:

Phillip: "I mean, Scott, we talked a lot about going after criminals. I don't think anybody disagrees with that. Seven million means that they're not just going after criminals."

Jennings: "Well, they're going after people who are in the country illegally, right?"

Phillip: "Yeah - no. But I'm saying the criminals, this is a much bigger universe than that."

Jennings: "Doesn't that make you a criminal?"

Phillip: "No, it doesn't."

Jennings: "To come across the border illegally?"

Phillip: "Coming into the country illegally is a civil offense. It's not a criminal offense."

Jennings: "Okay. If you come into the country illegally, here's the message: We're going to find you and send you back. I mean, I'm sorry. That's the way it is. And I think the government should pull all the levers at its disposal to find people and pull this off as what the American people asked Donald Trump to do.

Yes, they should be deporting violent people. Yes, they should be deporting people who committed violent acts before they came here. But at some juncture, if you're going to allow any illegal immigration at all, the message then goes out. 'Just get here. It'll probably work out for you.' That was the last administration. This is the different one."

Watch:

🔥SCOTT JENNINGS TAKES DOWN ABBY PHILLIP WITH COMMON SENSE!

ABBY PHILLIP: They're not just going after criminals. @ScottJenningsKY: They're going after people who are in the country illegally, right?

ABBY PHILLIP: This is a much bigger universe.

SCOTT JENNINGS: Doesn't that… pic.twitter.com/7ZymQId7UC
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 9, 2025

Relatedly, Phillip trying to suggest a difference between civil and criminal offenses when it comes to the issue of crossing the border illegally widely misses the mark:

Overstaying a visa is a civil infraction. But crossing illegally is in fact, a crime. It is a misdemeanor under 8 USC 1325. And illegal re-entry after deportation is a felony, if prosecuted. When factoring in gotaways, there were roughly 10 million illegal crossings under Biden. https://t.co/HDm98ZT2YT
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 28, 2025

You can read more on 8 US Code § 1325 here.

In short, anyone who wants the facts about immigration laws and the differences between Joe Biden's illegal immigration policies versus Donald Trump's might not want to be looking to CNN anchors (nor Democrats) for answers. Just sayin'.

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