TMZ’s Van Lathan Melts Down After Scott Jennings Refuses His Loaded Question on ICE Raids

Should American children be protected from violent transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua — or from immigration enforcement officers arresting their parents who entered the country illegally?
For most Americans, especially after the 2024 election, the answer is obvious. For left-wing pundits, not so much.

During a heated CNN roundtable, former TMZ host Van Lathan attempted to trap conservative commentator Scott Jennings with a “yes-or-no” question about ICE raids in Chicago. What he didn’t expect was that Jennings would completely turn the tables — exposing the moral blindness of the progressive narrative.

The panel was discussing reports of ICE agents detaining illegal immigrants in a Chicago neighborhood — including one witness claim that “they was bringing kids down, too. Had them zip tied to each other.” Host Abby Phillip repeated the line on air, prompting outrage from Lathan and his fellow liberals.

Jennings, however, pointed out the obvious: “If the federal government knows that there is a nest of Tren de Aragua in a city like Chicago, they have a responsibility, they have an obligation to go get them.”

That triggered Lathan, who accused law enforcement of using “gangs and whatever, it’s a catch-all to treat people however you want, to go in there and shred the Constitution or whatever else it is that you want to do.” Then he launched his trap:

“What I’m asking you is this — do you think that children should have been zip tied and pulled out of an apartment complex and traumatized like that? Yes or no?”

Jennings didn’t take the bait.

“I don’t think children should be put in harm’s way by transnational gangs,” he said calmly.

That wasn’t good enough for Lathan, who demanded again:

“Just answer the question, yes or no?”

Jennings stood firm:

“I reject the premise of your question. The government is not putting children in harm’s way. Tren de Aragua is. They’re the one putting children in harm’s way.”

Still not satisfied, Lathan tried again — “Gentlemen to gentlemen… should children be treated that way? Does Scott Jennings like that?” — only to receive another logical counterpunch:

“I don’t believe that the premise of your question is accurate. I would ask you back — should children be allowed to live in an apartment building with Tren de Aragua? Should the entire community of Chicago have to live with Tren de Aragua because they hide behind these children?”

Even liberal strategist Ashley Allison stepped in, trying to argue that law enforcement shouldn’t “act like Tren de Aragua” — a bizarre comparison, given that ICE agents aren’t trafficking drugs or murdering rivals in the streets.

The full exchange can be seen here:

The takeaway is clear: left-wing activists are more outraged about ICE removing gang members than about the gangs themselves terrorizing neighborhoods.

No reasonable American wants to see children in zip ties — but pretending that violent foreign criminals hiding behind families are the victims is dishonest, immoral, and dangerous. That’s exactly why President Donald Trump was elected to restore law, order, and sanity. While Trump protects American communities, Kamala Harris is still on a self-pitying book tour blaming everyone but herself for her failures.

Van Lathan may not understand that, but the American people do.