Sham "Dignity" Amnesty Bill, and the Crucial Lebanon Factor, with Michael Knowles and Ana Kasparian | Ep. 1292

Episode of The Megyn Kelly Show · April 9, 2026 · 1 h 38 min

Megyn Kelly discusses the Dignity Act amnesty bill with Michael Knowles, then debates Israel, Lebanon and the Iran ceasefire with Ana Kasparian.

Summary

Megyn Kelly opened with the Dignity Act, an immigration bill co-sponsored by Republican Representative Maria Elvira Salazar that would grant long-term legal status to illegal immigrants who meet certain conditions. Kelly argued it was amnesty by another name and that the border-enforcement provisions attached to it, such as mandatory E-Verify, would be stripped out in negotiations. Michael Knowles agreed, saying the bill was driven by donor-class interests rather than Republican voters, that Republicans risked demoralizing their base before the midterms, and that mass deportation remained the single most important issue for the party.

The pair also discussed the ruling that DeCarlos Brown, accused of killing Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train, was incompetent to stand trial. Kelly blamed lenient local judges and the decline of institutionalization, while Knowles argued Democrats' reaction to the case revealed racial double standards and defended federal intervention where blue states fail to prosecute. Lighter segments covered a Canadian MP's use of the acronym "MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+", Lawrence O'Donnell's criticism of Pete Hegseth for saying "leave no man behind," and CNN's erroneous publication of an obituary-style tribute to the living Michael J. Fox.

In the second hour, Ana Kasparian argued that Israel's goals diverge from American interests, that its campaign in Lebanon aims at annexing southern Lebanese territory rather than disarming Hezbollah, and that Netanyahu manipulated Donald Trump into striking Iran by flattering his ego and understating Iranian capacity to close the Strait of Hormuz. Kasparian also said reporting on the Epstein files linked Jeffrey Epstein to the Israeli government and suggested blackmail and pressure campaigns shape U.S. policy.

Kelly described the personal campaign waged against her since her July Turning Point conversation with Charlie Kirk about Epstein and Israeli intelligence, said she believes Mark Levin's rhetoric endangers her, and recounted her refusal to denounce Candace Owens. Both women called for a left-right coalition against what they characterized as foreign influence over U.S. foreign policy, and criticized annual U.S. aid to Israel and the cost of the Iran war.

Chapters

  1. 0:00

    The Dignity Act and the amnesty fight

    Kelly outlines the Dignity Act's provisions and Salazar's nationwide tour, playing a clip of the congresswoman defending the bill.

  2. 7:00

    Knowles on donors, dreamers and deceit

    Michael Knowles argues the bill is amnesty with a pathway to citizenship, driven by Republican donors wanting cheap labor.

  3. 9:21

    Polling, E-Verify and the enforcement carrot

    Kelly cites polls showing majority support for deportations and argues enforcement provisions will be stripped out of any deal.

  4. 16:07

    Political capital, Iran and the midterms

    Knowles says immigration is the best use of political capital and warns Republicans could lose the House and Senate if the Iran war drags on.

  5. 20:52

    Minneapolis backlash and deportation numbers

    Kelly and Knowles discuss how the Minneapolis coverage stalled the deportation agenda and review White House removal figures.

  6. 25:03

    Iryna Zarutska case and competency ruling

    The pair react to DeCarlos Brown being found incompetent to stand trial, the Rhode Island mural controversy, and possible federal prosecution.

  7. 35:17

    Lawrence O'Donnell, Canadian acronyms and CNN's Michael J. Fox error

    Media segment covering O'Donnell's criticism of Hegseth, a Canadian MP's expanded LGBTQ acronym, and CNN's premature tribute to Michael J. Fox.

  8. 50:08

    The fragile Iran ceasefire and Lebanon

    Kelly lays out the two-week ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz, and her theory that Lebanon was secretly part of the deal, with a Netanyahu clip.

  9. 56:42

    Kasparian on Israel's aims in Lebanon

    Ana Kasparian argues Israel seeks to annex southern Lebanon and that the Lebanese government cannot disarm Hezbollah.

  10. 1:00:37

    Epstein, blackmail and Israeli influence

    Kasparian links Epstein to Israeli intelligence and argues pressure campaigns and the Israel lobby shape U.S. policy.

  11. 1:11:01

    Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens and the campaign against Kelly

    Kelly recounts her Turning Point conversation with Charlie Kirk, the pressure both faced, and her refusal to denounce Candace Owens.

  12. 1:28:58

    Building a left-right coalition and the costs of the war

    Kasparian urges cross-partisan cooperation against foreign influence while both discuss the draft registration, aid to Israel, and the war's economic toll.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argues that enforcement promises attached to amnesty bills never materialize while the amnesty does.

    “What ends up happening is you get the amnesty without the tougher border”

    Listen from 0:00 · Dignity Act

  • Linked moment · 7:00Skip to 7:00 using a listen link in the info box.

    Michael Knowles

    Knowles claims the Dignity Act would grant amnesty and a pathway to citizenship despite Salazar's denials.

    “The bill would literally give not only amnesty, but a pathway to citizenship for untold numbers of so-called dreamers”

    Listen from 7:56 · Dignity Act

  • Michael Knowles

    Knowles argues Republican donors, not voters, want amnesty because it supplies cheap labor.

    “But some Republican donors want it because they benefit from the slave labor that we get from mass migration”

    Listen from 11:19 · Amnesty and immigration policy in the United States

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly says Republicans, including Trump, avoid nationwide mandatory E-Verify because they want some illegal workers to remain.

    “Republicans, the dirty little secret, including right up to the one in the White House, do favor allowing some portion of illegals to continue staying here and working here”

    Listen from 13:13 · Amnesty and immigration policy in the United States

  • Michael Knowles

    Knowles argues asylum claims from those crossing the southern border are essentially all economic rather than political.

    “The asylum claims are basically all nonsense. The people who are coming across the border illegally are economic migrants”

    Listen from 15:01 · Amnesty and immigration policy in the United States

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argues the border is currently closed and the priority should be a wall plus resumed deportations rather than new legislation.

    “All we really need to do is keep Trump's policies in place and build a wall so that the next president can't reopen the border”

    Listen from 21:17 · Amnesty and immigration policy in the United States

  • Michael Knowles

    Knowles argues the reaction to the Zarutska case shows Democrats will excuse crimes that don't fit their racial narrative.

    “if the crime doesn't match our racial criteria, we're going to let the criminals off the hook, and we're not even going to let you talk about it”

    Listen from 28:37 · Murder of Iryna Zarutska

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly blames Charlotte judges and the cashless bail system for allowing Zarutska's killer to remain free before the murder.

    “He was free on cashless bail after a magistrate released him with a written promise to show up for court after placing a bogus 911 call”

    Listen from 29:28 · Murder of Iryna Zarutska

  • Michael Knowles

    Knowles says federal intervention is the only remaining option when blue states decline to enforce the law.

    “The blue cities, the blue states have made clear they want these killers on the streets. They don't want to enforce the law”

    Listen from 34:41 · Murder of Iryna Zarutska

  • Michael Knowles

    Knowles says he opposed the strikes on Iran before they occurred and considers himself an Iran skeptic.

    “I argued against strikes on Iran before it happened. I am very much an Iran skeptic”

    Listen from 38:21 · United States war with Iran

  • Michael KnowlesPrediction · due Nov 2026

    Knowles predicts Republicans could lose both the House and Senate if the Iran war continues into the summer.

    “if this continues into May, June, July, I mean, the Republicans certainly can kiss the House of Representatives goodbye, but they might kiss the Senate goodbye”

    Listen from 39:42 · 2026 United States midterm elections

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian argues Israel's campaign in Lebanon is aimed at annexing southern Lebanon rather than disarming Hezbollah.

    “Israel has been very clear that they plan on annexing southern Lebanon. That's what this is really about. It's not really about Hezbollah”

    Listen from 56:55 · Israeli strikes in Lebanon

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian argues Americans must rethink the U.S. alliance with Israel because Israeli and American objectives diverge.

    “if Americans are serious about ending our involvement in these endless wars, we really have to rethink the US alliance with Israel”

    Listen from 56:55 · Israel lobby in the United States

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian says the Lebanese government cannot deliver Hezbollah's disarmament and attempting it would trigger civil war.

    “disarming Hezbollah would lead to a serious civil war in Lebanon. It's impossible. The Lebanese military is incredibly weak”

    Listen from 57:58 · Israeli strikes in Lebanon

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian argues Trump was manipulated into the Iran war by Israeli assurances it would be easy.

    “There's no question that Trump was honestly manipulated by the Israelis who put into his head this notion that a war against Iran would be easy”

    Listen from 1:00:37 · United States war with Iran

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian claims reporting on released Epstein documents shows Epstein was working for the Israeli government.

    “drop site was able to draw direct links directly. to the Israeli government. Epstein was working for the Israeli government”

    Listen from 1:02:02 · Jeffrey Epstein

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly says she believes Mark Levin would welcome her death and that his rhetoric endangers her and others.

    “I actually believe that Mark Levin would like to have me killed. I do believe it. I think he'd be thrilled to see me taken out, like actually”

    Listen from 1:08:44 · Israel lobby in the United States

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly says she and Charlie Kirk bonded a month before his death over pressure to remain pro-Israel.

    “Charlie and I bonded in this now famous conversation we had a month before he was murdered over the immense pressure being put on both of us to remain very pro-Israel”

    Listen from 1:14:24 · Assassination of Charlie Kirk

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argues the Epstein disclosure law contained loopholes making the release close to meaningless transparency.

    “So now we have, it's almost worse than had nothing been released because we have almost fake transparency”

    Listen from 1:17:50 · Jeffrey Epstein

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian says Iran never posed a genuine threat to the United States but challenged Israel's expansionist aims.

    “Iran has never posed an actual threat to the United States. They didn't have nuclear weapons, and their missiles did not have the capacity to hit the United States”

    Listen from 1:21:48 · United States war with Iran

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly asserts the United States drafted the Pakistani prime minister's ceasefire talking points, which listed Lebanon first, and then denied it.

    “we definitely drafted that prime minister statement. That definitely came from us. And the first bullet point said the ceasefire includes Lebanon”

    Listen from 1:23:04 · Israeli strikes in Lebanon

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian recommends that Democrats in solidly Republican districts vote in GOP primaries for candidates who refuse Israel lobby money.

    “do either one of them reject money from the israel lobby and if one of them does i'm going to cast my ballot for that republican”

    Listen from 1:31:51 · Israel lobby in the United States

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian says Iran is now charging tolls in the Strait of Hormuz and refusing dollar transactions, costs that will be passed to Americans.

    “they're now charging tolls for oil tankers or anything that's being transported through the strait. So those costs will be passed down to Americans”

    Listen from 1:34:52 · Strait of Hormuz

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian questions why the U.S. sends roughly $4 billion a year to Israel while carrying enormous national debt.

    “We send them nearly $4 billion a year. And then on top of that, we add supplemental funding whenever they get involved in one of their wars”

    Listen from 1:35:44 · Israel lobby in the United States

People

In the conversation

  • Megyn KellyConservative broadcaster and podcaster
  • Michael KnowlesAmerican conservative commentator and host of The Michael Knowles Show at The Daily Wire
  • Ana KasparianAmerican progressive commentator, host and executive producer of The Young Turks

Discussed

  • Maria Elvira SalazarRepublican U.S. Representative from Florida who sponsored the Dignity Act
  • Donald TrumpPresident of the United States whose conduct of the Iran war is the episode's main subject
  • Benjamin NetanyahuPrime Minister of Israel
  • Mark LevinConservative radio host who pressed for strikes on Iran
  • Charlie KirkAmerican conservative activist and podcast host assassinated in September 2025
  • Candace OwensConservative commentator and podcaster cited as a top-ranked show
  • Tucker CarlsonConservative broadcaster cited as part of right-wing media
  • Michael J. FoxActor mistakenly memorialized in a CNN article
  • Pete HegsethU.S. Secretary of Defense overseeing the Iran campaign
  • Dan CaineChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who declined to reveal operation details
  • JD VanceVice President of the United States
  • Steve WitkoffU.S. envoy conducting negotiations with Iran
  • Jared KushnerBusinessman and Trump's son-in-law, adviser in the first Trump administration
  • Brandon GillRepublican congressman leading opposition to the Dignity Act
  • Matt WalshDaily Wire commentator who explained the MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ acronym
  • DeCarlos BrownMan accused of killing Iryna Zarutska, found incompetent to stand trial
  • Pam BondiU.S. Attorney General reported fired during the episode
  • Ronald ReaganFormer US president to whom Pape compared Trump's political skill
  • Joe KentFormer U.S. official who resigned and disputed stated motives for the Iran conflict
  • Tim WalzGovernor of Minnesota criticized by Knowles
  • Margaret BrennanCBS News host who interviewed the Omani mediator
  • Mark ThiessenFox News commentator quoted praising the Iran operation
  • Leah GazanCanadian NDP MP whose House of Commons speech was played

Topics

More from The Megyn Kelly Show

From the publisher

Megyn Kelly is joined by Michael Knowles, host of "The Michael Knowles Show," to discuss some GOP' lawmakers attempting to pass an amnesty immigration bill, the false framing of the "Dignity Act," why this is a betrayal of the base, the murderer in the tragic Iryna Zarutska case being ruled incompetent to stand trial, the outrageous possibility he goes free, the potential for the federal charges to still keep him in prison, a Canadian lawmaker using the term "MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+" to describe oppressed people, the ridiculous woke new standards of "murdered" people as "queer," and more. Then Ana Kasparian, host and executive producer of "The Young Turks," joins to discuss Netanyahu’s actions in Lebanon, how Israel's ongoing bombing campaign could affect the fragile U.S ceasefire with Iran, the bizarre past nine months since Megyn and Charlie Kirk talked Epstein and Israeli intelligence at the Turning Point event in July, the campaign being waged against her, the key conversation she and Charlie had about Israeli supporters the month before his death, and more. Knowles- https://www.dailywire.com/ Kasparian- https://kasparian.substack.com/ Riverbend Ranch: Visit https://riverbendranch.com/ | Use promo code MEGYN for $20 off your first order. PureTalk: Save on wireless with PureTalk visit https://PureTalk.com/MEGYNKELLY Sundays for Dogs: Upgrade your dog’s food without the hassle—try Sundays for Dogs and get 50% off your first order at https://sundaysfordogs.com/MEGYN50 or use code MEGYN50 at checkout. Byrna: Go to https://Byrna.com or your local Sportsman's Warehouse today.

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 27, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Politics·News Commentary·Government