Open-border Democrats Jen Psaki and Governor Kathy Hochul’s comments on MSNBC were loaded with emotional appeals, but they ignore basic facts and the rule of law. They repeatedly referred to illegal immigrants simply as “immigrants,” a deliberate move meant to blur the line between legal and illegal. It’s deceptive. Words matter — and using soft language to describe people who broke federal immigration law only confuses the public and shields lawbreakers from accountability.
She defends Brad Lander by saying he was just “escorting immigrants to court.” But the truth is, he was escorting an illegal alien facing removal proceedings — someone ICE had legal authority to detain, including at a courthouse. That’s not “terrorizing” anyone — that’s enforcing the law. If you’re here illegally and have a pending hearing, law enforcement has every right to act. Lander wasn’t just “helping someone” — he was interfering with immigration enforcement.
Hochul also claimed, “they had legal status when they came.” That line is intentionally misleading. Even if someone once entered legally — under a visa or Temporary Protected Status — that doesn’t mean they still have legal status now. By the time Edgardo was in immigration court, he was subject to removal. ICE detained him after his case was dismissed — because even without a removal order, he was no longer in lawful status. Hochul uses past-tense legality to spin present-day illegality, and it doesn’t hold up.
She goes on about how these are our “neighbors” who’ve been here “many years.” But staying illegally for a long time doesn’t make you legal — it just makes you a long-term lawbreaker. And just because someone appears sympathetic or “means well” doesn’t make what they’re doing lawful. That kind of emotional appeal ignores the facts and weakens our legal system.
Hochul says we should only go after “true criminals.” But entering or remaining in the country illegally is a crime. We don’t get to selectively enforce laws based on feelings. That kind of thinking undermines the very concept of equal justice under the law. Deportation isn’t reserved for violent felons — it’s a consequence for anyone in violation of immigration law.
She also calls the expiration of TPS “a cruel joke.” But TPS is temporary by design. It was never meant to be a path to permanent residency. When conditions improve in the home country, the status ends. That’s how the law is written. Calling it cruel is just another dishonest emotional appeal.
Let’s not forget the $50 million in taxpayer money Hochul is now giving out for legal aid to illegal immigrants. That’s not compassion — that’s a slap in the face to citizens and legal immigrants who followed the rules. That money could be used to secure the border, support law enforcement, or help struggling Americans — not defend people who violated our laws.
And of course, she falls back on the tired phrase: “We’re a nation of immigrants.” Yes — legal immigrants. There’s a world of difference between someone who goes through the process and someone who crosses the border illegally or overstays a visa. Respect for the rule of law is what makes America great — not ignoring it in the name of compassion.
Hochul’s entire argument is built on feel-good rhetoric, half-truths, and a willful distortion of reality. We don’t need sweeping “immigration reform.” What we need is to enforce the laws we already have and secure the border — now. America doesn’t need more immigrants at this moment — it needs fewer. We are already overwhelmed by housing shortages, rising crime, strained public services, and overburdened cities.
The answer isn’t to import more problems and hand out benefits. It’s to deport those here illegally, restore order, prioritize citizens, and put America first.