Tucker Carlson attempted to interview Jose Aristimuno on his Tuesday Fox News program. The effort quickly degenerated into a shouting match. Carson asked his guest to comment on the frightening situation at William Wirt Middle School in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
A grimly detailed and out-of-character Monday Washington Post investigative report described the school as "a ticking time bomb" where MS-13 members have committed violent crimes, creating a pervasive climate of fear as school administrators engage in shocking denial.
Rather than respond substantively to Carlson's question, Aristimuno played the racism card.
Michael E. Miller's Post report is so chilling that one wonders how advocates for illegal-immigrant amnesty, sanctuary cities, and other permissive policies can square their views with the reality they have already created. (As we'll see, Carlson answered that question in his monologue.)
Here are just a few lowlights from Miller's report:
... Gang-related fights are now a near-daily occurrence at Wirt, where a small group of suspected MS-13 members at the overwhelmingly Hispanic school in Prince George’s County throw gang signs, sell drugs, draw gang graffiti and aggressively recruit students recently arrived from Central America, according to more than two dozen teachers, parents and students. Most of those interviewed asked not to be identified for fear of losing their jobs or being targeted by MS-13.
... administrators deny Wirt has a gang problem ...
... Nearly a dozen parents told The Post that they were worried about gang activity at the school, which is 10 miles from the White House. Many said they were intent on transferring their kids. Several said they were scared their children would be killed.
One eighth-grader said she had been raped in the fall by a schoolmate in MS-13 — an attack that took place off school property and that she reported to police but then recanted out of fear of the gang.
... (A teacher) described the administration’s stance on gangs as “don’t ask, don’t talk about it.”
... (One) educator said. “The school has enabled the gang through its lack of enforcement.”
... Several educators said they have been threatened by students in MS-13. Two teachers said they are worried gang members have identified their cars and could follow them home.
In the video segment below, Carlson described the Wirt Middle School situation, recounted the media's defenses of MS-13, and asked Aristimuno to comment. When it became obvious that the former Deputy National Press Secretary for the Democratic Party wouldn't answer his question, Carlson pushed back hard:
Transcript:
TUCKER CARLSON: Less than 10 miles from the White House, a middle school is being terrorized by MS-13.
It's called William Wirt Middle School. It's in Riverdale, Maryland, and it's one of many make up has been changed entirely and almost overnight by mass settlement of unaccompanied minors entering this country from Latin America.
Now according to the Washington Post, MS-13 members in the school start fights, sell drugs, (and) rape fellow students. Teachers say they fear being alone with a lot of these kids. They also fear saying anything about it because speaking out cost them their jobs.
It's a tragedy that can be traced almost entirely to U.S. immigration policy, but elites don't seem to care at all, and in fact crush any conversation about it by screaming "racist!." Needless to say, their kids will never attend William Wirt Middle School or anything even approaching it.
Jose Aristimuno is the former DNC Press Secretary, and he joins us tonight. José, thank you for coming on.
JOSE ARISTIMUNO: Good to be with you.
CARLSON: What I found ironic about this story was, this is kind of the third iteration of the MS-13 story. First, we were told they don't really exist, it's a figment of your racist imagination. Then we were told (that) to attack them and call them names is immoral because they're good people.
ARISTIMUNO: Okay.
CARLSON: And now, we have the Washington Post telling us in detail about how they've destroyed this middle school and they're terrorizing the students. Are we allowed to acknowledge that, or are we bigots for doing so?
ARISTIMUNO: Well, let me start by saying this: If you are undocumented in this country, if you are a criminal including being a member of MS-13, we don’t want you in this country and you should be deported.
Part of the issue here is people like yourself and some Republicans want to pinpoint and simply say, because your first name is Jose, or you are Latino, like me, you are automatically an MS-13 gang member.
CARLSON: You are a ridiculous person for saying that, I have never suggested anything like that and it’s appalling that you should say that. You are speaking a lie, and not for the first time.
What I said was what I read in the Washington Post, which is self-identified members are destroying the school. I bet you never send your kids to that school. But you have no problem with those people being in this country because it fits in that demographic that you approve of. The truth is, it’s a disaster.
The "discussion" degenerated from there. Readers interested in seeing the full five-minute segment can go here, beginning at the 23:30 mark.
Aristimuno's supposedly tough stance on deporting MS-13 members was a substance-free pose. Deporting unaccompanied minors who have entered the U.S. illegally is extraordinarily difficult. The former DNC press secretary, of all people, should know that. The process involved "takes years, and more often results in the illegal alien minors staying in the U.S. rather than being removed to their home countries."
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.