CNN analyst spars with panel over deportation of Palestinian activist

Mahmoud Khalil, who students claim was a leader of protests and encampments on the Columbia University campus in New York City for months, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Saturday, according to Fox News sources.

CNN's Abby Phillip asked Jennings if he had seen "any evidence to suggest that there is actually a serious reason to believe that this student is going to be a threat to national security" in the U.S.

Jennings stared back at Philip with wide eyes as she asked her question, eventually being cut off multiple times as he tried to respond.

"I certainly watched the abomination that's gone on at Columbia and Barnard and other places. And I will just tell you - " Jennings said before being interrupted by Phillip.

"Okay, so a threat to national security?" Phillip asked.

As Jennings attempted to answer her question for the second time, he was again interrupted by Phillip.

"I mean, I'm not going to let you move on because this is the problem," interjected Phillip as Jennings was attempting to respond to her.

The conservative-leaning CNN contributor quipped back, saying, "I'll tell you why it's a threat to national security if you'll let me answer you."

After another brief back-and-forth between Jennings and Phillip, Jennings began laying out why he believed Khalil should be deported.

"His organization says, 'We are dedicated to fighting for the total eradication of Western civilization,'" Jennings said, adding, "He's not a citizen. He doesn't need to be here."

"The View" co-host Ana Navarro then jumped into the conversation, questioning whether deporting the student was meant to dissuade other students from protesting.

"In my - in my view, it was a failure by Columbia University. They could have expelled him. They could have banned him from campus, and they should have, if he violated their policy. Look, every student has a right to attend school without fear of intimidation, right? But what we are doing here with this - the message that this is sending is a message to scare anybody from protesting," claimed Navarro.

Phillip immediately pivoted back to grilling Jennings after Navarro got her question out.

"And Scott, you just described him having viewpoints that you disagree with. Again, is that enough to have someone lose their rights in this country?" Phillip asked Jennings.

His response sparked another argument between the panelists, making it difficult for him to extrapolate his point.

"He is - he is obviously - obviously a radical who is here to foment - " Jennings attempted to argue his point before being cut off again.

Former TMZ producer Van Lathan interrupted Jennings before he could finish, saying, "No, he's not a radical at all."

Jennings continued to argue his point with the fuming panel as they attempted to talk over one another.

"You're saying 'eradicate Western civilization' doesn't make you a radical?" asked Jennings.

Phillip answered Jennings' question with a question of her own, asking, "Scott, has he acted in any way that is violence against the United States government?"

"I think these - I think these protests and the violence they have fomented, and the intimidation and fear against the Jewish kids on these campuses, is absolutely an act of insurrection against the United States," Jennings replied.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price, Alexis McAdams, and Greg Norman contributed to this report.