A jaw-dropping moment unfolded 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 struggled to explain how Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez—a previously deported felon from the Dominican Republic—was allowed to move freely in New York City before shooting a border agent in the face.

Keilar pointed out that many voters differentiate between undocumented migrants and those with criminal records when considering deportation priorities. She pressed James on why the system failed to prevent Nunez from being at large and suggested better coordination with federal authorities might have stopped the incident.

James initially dodged direct answers, emphasizing that New York and other Democratic states cooperate with ICE on criminal convictions, but protect “innocent individuals”—those working as nannies, cleaners, and neighbors trying to make ends meet.

Keilar countered, noting that Nunez had multiple arrests even after lawful deportation orders, questioning why those opportunities to detain him were missed. James again pivoted, insisting New York cooperates with ICE on individuals with criminal records but argued it’s important to “make a distinction.” She then criticized ICE agents for allegedly “kidnapping innocent individuals” without identification, ignoring that many Democratic officials have demanded agents be publicly identifiable—a demand critics say endangers the agents and their families.

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