A jaw-dropping moment played out live on CNN Tuesday when New York Attorney General Letitia James appeared to justify the shooting of a U.S. Border Patrol agent by a criminal illegal immigrant.

During a tense exchange with anchor Brianna Keilar, James stumbled repeatedly when pressed on how Dominican national Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez — a previously deported felon — was allowed to roam freely in New York City before shooting a border agent in the face.

Keilar acknowledged the distinction many voters make, as shown in polls, between undocumented migrants and those with criminal records, regarding which group should be prioritized for deportation. “Why should those voters think that this is something other than the system not working?” she asked the state’s top law enforcer while suggesting that better “coordination” with federal authorities may have led to Nunez’s arrest earlier. [see video below]

At first, James attempted to pivot out of directly answering the question. “At the outset, I indicated to you that, in fact, New York state and other Democratic states cooperate with ICE when it comes to criminal convictions. But when it comes to innocent individuals — individuals who serve as your nanny, clean your home, individuals who are our neighbors, individuals who just unfortunately are trying to make ends meet,” she said before Keilar cut her off.

“But both of these individuals have multiple arrests after lawful deportation orders. Why are those not opportunities?” she asked as James once again tried to pivot away from the reality that New York City and New York state generally are illegal immigrant sanctuaries.

“And that is why the state of New York when it comes to individuals, as you indicated, individuals with criminal convictions…” she paused. “Then we cooperate with ICE. But it’s important that we make a distinction” before repeating her earlier answer.

“The people who are being kidnapped are facing civil deportation,” she stated. “Innocent people are being caught up in these ICE raids.” She then attacked ICE for “agents, without any insignia, without any identification, kidnapping innocent individuals” — without addressing the fact that Democratic lawmakers and politicians either want agents publicly identified or have publicly identified them, putting them and their families in danger.

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