A Jan. 20 Fox News interview exploded into a shouting match after host Sean Hannity pressed Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones on violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants.
At a Glance
- Jones accused Hannity of “hanging out with pedophiles” at Mar-a-Lago
- Hannity demanded Jones name “one victim of violent crime” from Tennessee
- Jones compared ICE to the KKK, citing masked agents
- Why it matters: The clash highlights the deepening divide over immigration enforcement tactics and rhetoric
The segment began with Hannity displaying an on-screen list of Tennessee offenses tied to undocumented immigrants, a tactic he has used regularly to defend Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Jones, who last June introduced House Bill 1442-the “Stop American Gestapo Act” to bar masked officers-rejected the premise.
“I’m glad you’re bringing up a list, because if you want to go after rapists and criminals, you would stop hanging out with perverts and hanging out with pedophiles in the White House, Sean,” Jones fired back.
Hannity pressed for specifics: “Name one victim of violent crime” from Tennessee. Jones pivoted, addressing viewers directly.
“This man wants you to be afraid. He wants you to be fearful of your immigrant neighbors because he wants to protect the billionaires who keep you from having healthcare, letting farms close. He does not care about crime; he hangs out with pedophiles and criminals in Mar-a-Lago,” Jones said.
Jones’ references point to late sex-offender financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was photographed multiple times at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Neither Trump nor Hannity has been linked to Epstein’s crimes, though Hannity owns Palm Beach property and is a frequent guest at the club.
Escalating Accusations
Jones continued, “[Hannity] does not care about going after rapists. He cares about keeping you fearful to control you, because he wants to distract you from the real enemy, which are the corporate CEOs who are screwing you over.”
Hannity shot back, “Okay, you got your little talking point out? You feel good about yourself? This is not MSDNC.”
The host then turned to Jones’ past comparison of ICE to the Ku Klux Klan, noting both groups concealed identities. “What do you know about the KKK? Do you know a lot about the Gestapo? Do you know what the KKK did?”
“They ran my grandparents out of Tennessee,” Jones replied. “My dad was a U.S. Marine. He fought for his country. Who have you served, Sean? Other than your pocketbook.”
Crosstalk and Insults
The exchange devolved into overlapping accusations.
“You don’t care about the American people. You’re distracting from the real issues. You want them to be afraid of immigrants because all you have is fear,” Jones told Hannity.
“I care about the American people,” Hannity insisted.
Jones scoffed: “The America I believe in does not look like masked men targeting people. Shameful… I’m going to pray for you that you lay down this burden and these lies, Sean. Shame on you, my brother. God have mercy on you.”
“You’re a disgrace, my brother. You’re a disgrace,” Hannity mocked.
Jones landed a final volley: “You have that thousand-dollar suit on, and you get paid millions of dollars to lie to people. The threat to the American people is in the White House, it’s not these immigrants… Your children will be ashamed of where you stand in this time, Sean.”
He added, “Tell Trump to put down the pardon pen and pick up a mirror if he wants to go after criminals,” before Hannity ended the segment.
Key Takeaways
- Jones used the platform to counter Hannity’s immigration narrative with corporate-critique messaging
- Hannity’s list-based questioning failed to extract specific crime data from the lawmaker
- Both men invoked family and military service to claim moral high ground
- The confrontation produced no policy discussion but generated viral clips for each side’s base
According to News Of Los Angeles, the interview capped a week of heightened rhetoric around ICE raids in Minneapolis and ongoing GOP efforts to spotlight crimes by undocumented immigrants.
