CNN commentator Scott Jennings is facing an on-air threat of real-world consequences for using the legally accurate term illegal aliens to describe those who cross Americas borders unlawfully.
In a recent exchange highlighted by Western Journal, Jennings clashed with left-wing activist Cameron Kasky over immigration terminology during a segment that later drew the ire of former CNN host Chris Cuomo. Jennings pushed back firmly when Kasky objected to his language, telling him, I can say whatever I want as the two sparred over what to call illegal immigrants.
Jennings then grounded his position in statutory language rather than progressive fashion, stating plainly, Theyre illegal aliens, and thats what the law calls them. Illegal aliens. When Kasky continued to press him to adopt softer phrasing, Jennings responded with a pointed question: How are you going to enforce your edict on me, just out of curiosity?
Cuomo, now hosting his own show and clearly eager to police speech from the sidelines, posted the clip to his X account and launched into a tirade against Jennings. Playing the exchange, Cuomo sneered, What are you, a bully now? What are you, a tough guy?
Cuomo accused Jennings of targeting a younger activist who, in Cuomos view, had the moral high ground, saying, Because youre talking to this kid, who happens to be right, calling people illegal. After mocking Jennings for relying on the law to guide his vocabulary, Cuomo insisted that everyday language has supposedly moved beyond legal definitions.
He then tried to rewrite recent political history to fit a progressive narrative on immigration rhetoric. A long time ago, Republicans and Democrats agreed to call them undocumented. Why? Because it seemed inhuman, he said. Thats why. They changed the vernacular, and you know it!
Cuomos commentary quickly shifted from criticism to personal derision, as he continued to belittle Jennings defense of border enforcement language. What are you, youre a tough guy now? Cuomo said. I thought you were supposed to be the simpering-but-open-to-conversation Trump defender.
From there, Cuomo escalated his rhetoric into what sounded less like media analysis and more like a veiled threat against a political opponent. Be careful. You wanna be a tough guy, there are plenty of tough guys out there, he said. You wanna see how somebody can make you stop saying illegal? And then what are you gonna do, sue, tough guy?
Cuomo went even further, appearing to rationalize potential violence against someone for using a term that aligns with federal law and long-standing conservative concerns about border security. So if somebody beats your a** because youre being rude and disrespectful and causing division in this country thats causing distress and pain all over the streets and making people want to hurt one another if you really wanna be a part of that, as the expression goes, FAFO. He then tacked on a final warning: Dont be a tough guy.
As Mediaite noted, FAFO is shorthand for f*** around and find out, a phrase widely understood as a threat of retaliation. In an era when the left routinely lectures Americans about political violence and dangerous rhetoric, Cuomos outburst underscores a growing double standard: progressive commentators feel free to intimidate and smear those who use precise legal language on immigration, while conservatives who defend border sovereignty and the rule of law are painted as the ones causing division for simply saying what the statute books already say.
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