A tense exchange unfolded Tuesday night on “The Ingraham Angle” as host Laura Ingraham clashed with Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) over the detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Maryland resident who entered the U.S. illegally but was granted withholding of removal in 2019 due to fears of gang violence in El Salvador.
Ansari criticized the Trump administration’s handling of García’s recent deportation, arguing that his continued detention in a Salvadoran mega-prison — despite having no gang-affiliated criminal convictions in either country — violates due process and sets a dangerous precedent.
Ingraham pushed back, defending the legality of García’s removal and accusing Democrats of prioritizing the rights of illegal immigrants over the needs of American citizens. The debate quickly escalated, culminating in Ingraham bluntly telling Ansari to “take a breath” — a moment that went viral on social media and drew a wave of partisan reactions.
At one point, Ingraham presented a thought-provoking question:
I am very interested in Democrats caring about due process for illegal aliens. What process do you think is still due an individual who two courts found had reasonable belief to believe he had an affiliation with MS-13? Whose wife initially said had scratched her and caused bruising on her body? What process would make you feel like the Constitution and our framers’ understanding of it would be fulfilled?
Ansari disagreed with Ingraham’s premise, sidestepping the claims against Garcia, to focus on the principle that the Constitution guarantees due process rights to all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
“Laura, you and I can disagree on, you know, this individual in particular,” the congresswoman replied. “I’m not here to really advocate for one person. That needs to happen in court.”
Ingraham decided the lawmaker’s answer left much to be desired.
The Fox News host pounced:
“You went to El Salvador, what are you talking about? You went to El Salvador! Now you are saying it’s not about him? Of course it’s about him. You went to El Salvador for a political stunt and now you are saying it’s not about him.”
As Mediaite pointed out, the situation deteriorated from there:
“To advocate for due process,” Ansari insisted. “Laura, it is about a rule of law. This is a bipartisan issue. It transcends partisan politics. That’s why a conservative-leaning Supreme Court has said that Trump must facilitate the return of this individual. This is very dangerous. We are turning into an authoritarian country and there are Americans from all across the political spectrum who are deeply concerned about this. Again, my office has not received more calls about any other issue since I have been a congresswoman than this one.”
After Ingraham asked Ansari whether she cared about the recent news of an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who was charged with the murder of a woman in Maryland, the congresswoman replied that the question was “a distraction from the main issue.”
“Distraction?” snapped Ingraham. “I know you don’t mean that American citizens are distractions. Victims are distractions?”
Ansari protested, “You are changing the subject. Today, we are here to talk about the lack of due process for an individual who was illegally deported from this country.”
The two continued to talk over each other for several minutes until Ingraham forcefully interjected, urging Ansari to take a breath.
“What you care about is an illegal immigrant’s rights to be here ad infinitum,” Ingraham concluded, bringing the discussion to an abrupt end. “We got it. You will never support the deportation of this individual. That is the truth.”
Watch the complete interview below:
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Ya just can’t come up with more stupidity – this “Maryland resident” (NOT – he is an illegal) already had ‘due process’ TWICE by two separate courts no less that both determined he was subject to deportation.. I double dog dare this ‘representative’ to take this criminal into her household. End of discussion.
Democrats today are a disgrace to humanity,criminal and grifters.