On the January 19, 2026, edition of CNN NewsNight, gun control activist Cameron Kasky accused CNN Republican commentator Scott Jennings of having a job that requires him to become “increasingly demented every single week.”
The exchange took place during a panel discussion on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota, including the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier that month and reports of enforcement actions affecting U.S. citizens.
Jennings referred to individuals targeted by ICE as “illegals,” which drew immediate objection from Kasky.
Kasky stated: “You don’t get to say the word ‘illegals’ anymore.”
Jennings responded: “I don’t? Who are you to tell me what I can and can’t? I’ve never met you, brother. I can say whatever I want. They’re illegal aliens, and that’s what the law calls them, illegal aliens. That’s what I’m gonna call them.”
Kasky to Jennings: I understand that your job is predicated on just getting increasingly more demented every single week pic.twitter.com/DykZC9jgPl
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 20, 2026
Berman gave Kasky the final word before a commercial break, leading to the following confrontation:
KASKY: Listen, you can’t say “illegals” anymore, because ICE is directly targeting legal citizens of this country. JENNINGS: How are you going to enforce your edict on me, just out of curiosity? KASKY: Listen, I understand— [crosstalk] KASKY: I understand that your job is predicated on just getting increasingly more demented every single week, and that the audience comes back to see if perhaps you— BERMAN: Make your point. KASKY: My point is that you’re saying the word “illegals,” but you don’t even really know what’s happening. Or actually, I think you do, and you’re doing this on purpose. JENNINGS: Yes, because I want the law enforced. KASKY: They are not just targeting illegal immigrants. They are targeting natural-born U.S. citizens. JENNINGS: They are not. KASKY: That is a fact. You cannot deny that. I mean, you can on national television. JENNINGS: They are not. KASKY: You deny facts all the time. JENNINGS: They are not. KASKY: And a couple times in this very episode. JENNINGS: I still wanna know how you’re gonna enforce your edict on me.
Berman then ended the segment and took the show to break.
The Trump administration has stated that ICE operations in Minnesota focus on individuals in the country illegally who have criminal convictions. Reports have also documented instances of U.S. citizens and legal residents being detained or questioned, including cases without warrants and arrests of observers recording agents.
Jennings responded to the exchange in a post on social media later that evening, writing: ““How are you going to enforce your edict on me, just out of curiosity?” That’s the thing about the left – deep down, they believe they should decide who gets to speak and what everyone can and cannot say. F**k. That.”
Watch above via CNN.
