MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell has claimed US military personnel are a far greater terror threat to the nation than illegal immigrants.
O’Donnell made the claim in a segment that aired on Thursday.
“The simple fact is, this country has suffered more deadly terrorism at the hands of American-born citizens who are veterans of the United States military than people who have crossed into this country at the southern border,” he said.
“It is very clear from the evidence that if you want to worry about terrorism in this country, the United States Army is a much bigger problem than the southern border.”
McDonnell pointed to the Oklahoma City Bombing and the latest outrage, in New Orleans, to justify his comments.
“Timothy McVeigh parked a truck outside that building loaded with explosives in an act of homegrown American terrorism. Timothy McVeigh’s hatred of the American government was not tamed in any way by his service in the American military. So, too, with America’s latest terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve, with an American military veteran driving a pickup truck through a crowd to murder 14 people.”
McDonnell’s words were greeted with anger on social media.
“You really can’t hate the media enough,” wrote one Twitter user.
Others noted how the atrocity in New Orleans was being shaped to fit a pro-immigration, anti-America narrative.
“I’m amazed at how quickly they pivot to the most evil thing they can think of,” wrote another user.
Over 10,000 “special interest” aliens—meaning aliens who come from countries with know ties to terrorism—were apprehended by Border Patrol during the first ten weeks of the new fiscal year, beginning 1 October.
These countries include Iran, Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Mali and Nigeria.
Many of these migrants crossed into the US via the southern border with Mexico, although they have also tried to enter US territories like the US Virgin Islands.
In October, for example, Border Patrol apprehended 124 Iranians at various crossing points along the southern border.