Thread: Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy Tells CATO Researcher: “You Trigger My Gag Reflex”

Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy Tells CATO Researcher: “You Trigger My Gag Reflex”

Leslie Bolden March 10, 2026 6:28 pm

Louisiana Senator John Kennedy


Tensions flared during a Tuesday Senate Budget Committee hearing on sanctuary cities as Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana took aim at David Bier, the Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute.

The confrontation centered on Bier’s recent social media activity, which Kennedy characterized as extreme and “hyperbolic” regarding the Trump administration’s immigration and deportation policies.

Kennedy opened the exchange by reading aloud from Bier’s posts on the platform Bluesky. He specifically pointed to a February post in which Bier suggested that Democratic lawmakers calling on soldiers to defy “illegal orders” from the administration “did not go far enough.”

Kennedy also highlighted a post where Bier described the White House’s immigration strategy as a “population purge agenda.”

“In front of God and country, you said ‘They [Republicans] can troll their way into us accepting ethnic cleansing,’” Kennedy said, quoting the researcher. “Your words, not mine. Did I read that correctly?”

Bier defended his terminology, linking it to specific communications from the executive branch. “That was in regard to a Department of Homeland Security post about advocating for 100 million deportations,” Bier replied. “That is what DHS has tweeted from their own account, 100 million deportations!”

The exchange grew increasingly personal as Kennedy questioned Bier’s perspective. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it,” Kennedy said. “Truth can just gut you like a fish! And you don’t think this is hyperbolic?”

Bier maintained that his descriptions were accurate based on the scope of the administration’s goals.

“When I talk about population purge, I’m talking about the fact they’re trying to deport U.S.-born citizens, people born here as well,” Bier testified. “It’s not a mass deportation agenda. It is also an agenda intended to reduce the population of the United States, including U.S.-born people! These are not hyperbolic statements!”


Kennedy dismissed the explanation, asking Bier, “What planet did you just parachute in from?” before telling the witness, “You trigger my gag reflex!”


https://www.tampafp.com/louisiana-se...my-gag-reflex/

Bier defended his terminology, linking it to specific communications from the executive branch. “That was in regard to a Department of Homeland Security post about advocating for 100 million deportations,” Bier replied. “That is what DHS has tweeted from their own account, 100 million deportations!”

“One hundred million deportations.” If only we could achieve half that number we would not have the future outcome that has impacted other western nations. We could keep our history, culture, language, Judeo-Christian values that are now under threat from all of the invaders.