Arnold Schwarzenegger got a bit more than he bargained for on The View this Tuesday, as he found himself facing some tough questions from the hosts after sharing his views on immigration.
While promoting Season 2 of his Netflix series Fubar, the former California governor was asked how he would handle California’s current immigration issues if he were still in office. But it didn’t take long for the conversation to take a turn, with host Joy Behar pointing out that Schwarzenegger himself had come to the US as an immigrant. She wondered how his personal experiences influenced his stance on the matter.
Schwarzenegger was quick to share that his own immigration experience had been positive, and he remains deeply grateful for the opportunities he’s had in America. But he also made it clear that immigration needs to happen “the right way.”
“The key thing also is, at the same time, that we got to do things legal,” Schwarzenegger explained. “That is the important thing, you know?”, reported the Independent
At this point, The View co-host Sunny Hostin attempted to jump in, but Schwarzenegger, clearly passionate about his viewpoint, continued.
“You gotta do things legal,” he said. “And those people that are doing illegal things in America, they’re the foreigners, they are not smart. Because when you come to America, you’re a guest. And you have to behave like a guest.”
He went on, likening immigrants to guests in someone’s home: “Like when I go to someone’s house, and I’m a guest, then I will do everything I can—keep things clean, make my bed, and do everything that is the right thing to do, rather than committing a crime or being abusive or something like that.”
As Schwarzenegger kept talking, Hostin tried to make her point but had to wait for him to finish. The actor urged immigrants to give back to their communities by contributing “for no money whatsoever,” earning applause from the studio audience.
However, it wasn’t long before The View’s moderator, Whoopi Goldberg, stepped in with a counterpoint.
“Right but, Arnold, don’t forget, there’s a—90% of the people who come here are trying to do the right thing,” Goldberg said. “And a lot of what’s happening right now is people are getting snatched, who shouldn’t be snatched out of the country. People who have visas, people who have all those things. So, we want all the right people. We don’t want people who are doing bad stuff.”
Hostin also made sure her voice was heard, adding, “They are less likely—immigrants are much less likely to commit crimes in this country than actually American-born citizens.”
The back-and-forth highlighted a tension that’s common in discussions around immigration—how to balance the importance of legal procedures with compassion for those seeking a better life. Despite the disagreements, it was clear that Schwarzenegger’s visit to The View sparked a lively debate on the issue, with both sides showing passion for their views.