MSNBC Hosts Live Conversation on Immigration and Identity in New York

New York, NY – MSNBC’s Jacob Soboroff and Katy Tur are set to host a live discussion on immigration and identity on September 30, 2025, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. The event aims to create a space for dialogue with fans and address pressing issues from both the current and previous presidential administrations.

“Katie and I have been friends since we were teenagers,” Soboroff, a senior national and political correspondent for MSNBC, shared. The two have known each other since their youth in Los Angeles and have been working together at MSNBC for a decade. “Working together has been a truly special experience,” he added.

The live conversation, part of the network’s second large-scale event called MSNBC Live ’25, is not just designed as a fan fest but aims to deepen engagement with the network’s audience. “People want a connection,” Tur explained. “Being in the room gives you a different perspective.”

Soboroff noted that MSNBC boasts one of the most engaged audiences in television, making this event critical as the network transitions to a new name, MS NOW, or “My Source News Opinion World.” This rebranding aligns with parent company Versant’s goal of creating a global news operation separate from NBC News.

The events business is growing for MS NOW, which will also introduce a premium audio subscription service featuring 18 original podcasts and expand its presence on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. “This event is going to bring them into that energy themselves,” Soboroff said, emphasizing the shift from passive viewing to active participation.

Addressing their audience, Soboroff joked, “We’re not going to give you a Ron Burgundy version of Katie Tur or me. You’re going to get us—unfiltered and honest.” Their sincerity resonates with viewers, particularly when discussing personal experiences, such as the recent fires that affected Tur’s childhood home in Pacific Palisades.

During previous reporting, Tur detailed the emotional toll of covering the fires while receiving notifications about the devastation of her memories. “My godforsaken phone…never stops buzzing,” she recalled. “This is bad,” the messages read. “Our home is gone.”

As Soboroff and Tur join fellow MSNBC hosts like Rachel Maddow and Joe Scarborough, they plan to delve into immigration and identity as they would in personal discussions. “The best conversations are the ones you have with your closest friends,” Tur stated, expressing excitement about sharing their candid dialogue with viewers.

Soboroff stressed the importance of having open dialogues about challenging topics. “We’re not oracles… But I can tell you what I’ve seen,” he explained. By gathering in a room, he believes people can alleviate feelings of despair and uncertainty through conversation.