CNN host Jim Acosta sparred with commentator Scott Jennings on Monday about the significance of former President Donald Trump's joke at a Saturday rally about starting an “Immigration Fight League.”
President Trump joked about UFC president and founder Dana White boot He proposed forming an “Immigrant Fight League” and pitting a champion against a UFC champion, who might win because immigrants are stronger. Acosta on “CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta” played a clip of Trump's comments, calling them “ugly” and “dehumanizing,” but Jennings said the former president was raising awareness of an important issue that is far worse than the joke itself. (Related: Number of illegal immigrants fleeing the U.S. under Biden administration approaches 2 million)
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'Dehumanizing': Jim Acosta clutches pearls as he argues with guest over Trump's immigrant Fight Club joke pic.twitter.com/9ZKgksYXsD
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“In a way that only Donald Trump can do, he's drawing attention to the violence that we've seen in so many places across this country,” Jennings said.
Acosta asked whether the former president watches too many movies about gladiators.
“Look, I mean, you can worry about the rhetoric, or you can worry about the murders, the rapes, the kidnappings that we've seen in all the different cases that we've seen, that are a big part of their campaign,” Jennings responded.
Authorities in Oklahoma recently arrested 23-year-old Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez for allegedly raping and murdering a mother of five on a hiking trail in August 2023. According to local police, the immigrant entered the U.S. illegally after committing the murder in El Salvador.
“That's a dehumanizing statement, Scott,” Acosta shot back.
“Would you say that's more dehumanizing than murdering someone or raping someone?” Jennings asked.
The two then got into an argument about crime committed by immigrants and citizens in the country, with Acosta claiming that “crime has decreased significantly” despite an “influx” of immigrants.
“My point is, why is one of the two presidential candidates talking about subjecting immigrants to a gladiatorial experience? Why is that even happening in the first place?” Acosta asked, then added, “After the family separations and everything else we've seen with the Trump experience during the Trump presidency, they're talking about deportation camps and fight clubs in this country. No joke. When are you going to say enough is enough of that rhetoric on your side? It's dehumanizing.”
“At that point, will Republicans stop focusing on what they see as Joe Biden's biggest failures?” Jennings asked.
Acosta then asked Jennings if he was in favor of an immigrant fight club.
“He's clearly joking at the rally, but he's drawing attention to something that is no laughing matter, and that is the violence being perpetrated against a lot of people,” Jennings said.
Acosta and Jennings on Tuesday corrected Democratic strategist Maria Cardona when she said Hispanics don't support mass deportations, citing recent polling, with Jennings telling Cardona he would be “embarrassed” if he looked into it.
More than 50% of Hispanic Americans support “a new national program to deport all illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States illegally.” according to A CBS/YouGov poll conducted June 5-7 found just 47% opposed.
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