A heated discussion on CNN's NewsNight turned contentious when a Democratic strategist made explosive claims about potential military involvement in future deportation efforts.
According to Daily Mail Online, Julie Roginsky, a 51-year-old Democratic strategist, suggested during a panel discussion that U.S. military forces might open fire on American citizens who attempt to prevent the deportation of illegal immigrants under Trump's proposed policies.
The comments came during a discussion of President-elect Donald Trump's announcement regarding the use of military assets for mass deportations. Roginsky, who co-founded the nonprofit Lift Our Voices, expressed particular concern about the potential treatment of children in migrant shelters and vowed to personally join protests against such actions.
Roginsky's fellow panelist, Scott Jennings, appeared visibly shocked by her statements, responding that the conversation had gone "way down the rabbit hole." The exchange highlighted the growing tension surrounding Trump's immigration proposals, which he claims could affect up to 20 million illegal immigrants.
The scope of Trump's planned deportation efforts has drawn scrutiny from various quarters, including his own vice president-elect, JD Vance, who suggested a more modest target of deporting one million individuals annually.
This represents a significant scaling back of the initial proposal while still maintaining an aggressive stance on immigration enforcement.
During the panel discussion, Roginsky specifically addressed concerns about the demographic makeup of potential deportees, stating:
I live next to these people. I can tell you, they are women and children. Are there terrorists among them? I don't know. But what I'm telling you right now, practically speaking, there will be American citizens who will prevent these little kids from being dragged out of these shelters.
The American Immigration Council has conducted an extensive analysis of the potential costs associated with mass deportation efforts. Their findings indicate that removing just 1 million migrants could cost between $88 billion and $315 billion, with total costs potentially reaching $968 billion for 11 million deportations.
Trump has dismissed concerns about the financial burden of his proposed deportation program. In a recent NBC News interview following his election victory, he emphasized the necessity of the action regardless of cost considerations.
The president-elect expressed his determination to proceed with the deportations, stating:
It's not a question of a price tag. It's not — really, we have no choice. When people have killed and murdered, when drug lords have destroyed countries, and now they're going to go back to those countries because they're not staying here. There is no price tag.
The controversial exchange on CNN's NewsNight has brought renewed attention to the complex challenges surrounding immigration enforcement policies.
Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky's provocative comments about potential military involvement in deportation efforts have intensified discussions about the practical implementation of Trump's immigration agenda.
The debate continues to evolve as stakeholders grapple with the logistical, financial, and humanitarian implications of implementing what Trump has described as "the largest deportation effort in American history." The administration's approach to this sensitive issue remains under intense scrutiny from both supporters and critics as the country prepares for significant changes in immigration enforcement policy.
