Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson wanted to know why the head of the New York City Council suggested that enforcing illegal immigration laws is racist, but his guest, a sanctuary cities advocate, couldn’t provide the answers.

The comments were made by Melissa Mark-Viverito at the National Conference on Sanctuary Cities, where she repeated claims she made earlier in the month that enforcing US immigration laws against those seeking to enter the country illegally was tantamount to ethnic cleansing.

The council speaker has claimed that “I think in the last couple of weeks we’ve seen very, very, very clearly what the ultimate goal is of this administration. There clearly is a sense of purging… of implementing policies to purge certain groups of people from this country.”

Carlson asked Cristobal Alex, a civil rights attorney, and sanctuary cities advocate, why such a prominent figure in the debate would suggest such a thing, but he spent the entire interview dodging the question:

Alex, also a self proclaimed Hillary supporter, first suggested that “the point that she was trying to make is that sanctuary cities are actually much safer. And what Jeff Sessions, and what this Department of Justice are trying to do is pass draconian laws that will make it much harder and unsafe for our cities in the United States.”

Carlson pointed out that there are no studies that support the claim that such cities are safer.

“There’s no disagreement — there haven’t been studies done on that that show it.” Carlson told Alex, when he attempted to continue the line of argument.

#Tucker to @CristobalJAlex: There are no studies or data that show that sanctuary cities are safer @FoxNews — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 28, 2017

.@CristobalJAlex: I would argue the country is a better place when we have immigration #Tucker @FoxNews — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 28, 2017

Carlson returned to the line of questioning about ‘ethnic cleansing’, noting ” I don’t understand why this has be a racial conversation, I don’t understand why if you disagree with someone about the immigration policy, that person needs to be a racist’.”

Alex simply had no comeback, saying that he ‘respected’ the council speaker and was ‘looking forward to what she has to say next’, while admitting that sanctuary cities would not solve the problem of the immigration system.

.@CristobalJAlex: Obviously, Sanctuary Cities aen't the fix for a broken immigration system #Tucker @FoxNews — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 28, 2017

“Do me the favor of addressing what she actually said.” Carlson requested, to which Alex responded, “you’ll need to ask her directly”.

“Why does it always take a turn into racial demagoguery?” Carlson asked, adding “you’re accusing Trump of being a demagogue, and then when people say things like ethnic cleansing and murdering people because of their race? Come on now!”

“I’m not going to speak for the speaker.” Alex responded, returning once again to the claim that there is evidence to suggest sanctuary cities are safer.

Alex then attempted to argue against the documented reality of supply and demand, and suggested that it isn’t the case that wages are driven down when areas are flooded with people who are willing to work for less.

“Come on, this is insulting!” Carlson told Alex.

Alex then wouldn’t answer Carlson’s further question of “how many illegal immigrants is too many?”, wheeling out the cliche of “This is a country built on immigrants. And we should be building bridges, not walls.”

“On illegal immigrants?” Carlson shot back, adding “What does that even mean?”

“You guys always fall back on these ‘bumper stickers’.” Carlson exclaimed.

Social media blew up following the interview.

@realDonaldTrump @TuckerCarlson Illegal labor drives down wages, I can personally attest along with every carpenter in CA, test the wages — Carol Tait (@TasteSonomaWine) March 28, 2017



https://twitter.com/CoFemale/status/846529563404484609

@TuckerCarlson @CristobalJAlex @FoxNews Tucker I love the look on your face. Its like a deer in headlights. — Kiki (@Kiki99773043) March 28, 2017

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