Actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger experienced some pushback from The View hosts during his Tuesday morning appearance, after stating that immigrants should “behave like a guest.”
The Austrian-born star, 77, joined the latest episode of the ABC talk show to promote season two of his Netflix action series, FUBAR.
When asked how he would have handled California’s recent immigration protests and ongoing “crisis,” Schwarzenegger insisted that it was up to the local, state, and federal governments to work together to solve immigration reform.
Co-host Joy Behar stepped in to ask how his experience as an American immigrant has shaped his views.
While the Terminator star expressed gratitude for his positive immigration experience and his life in America, he stressed the importance of doing it legally.
“The key thing also is, at the same time, that we got to do things legal,” Schwarzenegger said. “That is the important thing, you know?”
“You got to do things legal. And those people that are doing illegal things in America, they’re the foreigners, they are not smart,” the Total Recall actor continued. “Because when you come to America, you’re a guest. And you have to behave like a guest.”
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: "Democrats and Republicans have to come together and solve [immigration reform] if they really want to be public servants. If they want to be party servants ... it won't happen." pic.twitter.com/HkUOH6FkhQ
— The View (@TheView) June 17, 2025
As an example, he said: “Like when I go to someone’s house, and I’m a guest, then I will do everything I can — keep things clean, and to make my bed, and to do everything that is the right thing to do, rather than committing a crime or be abusive or something like that.”
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg jumped in to challenge his comments. “Right but, Arnold don’t forget, there’s a — 90 percent of the people who come here are trying to do the right thing,” she 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.”
Fellow panelist Sunny Hostin chimed in, noting that “immigrants are much less likely to commit crimes in this country than actually American-born citizens.”
Over the weekend, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers conducted raids in Los Angeles, anti-ICE protests erupted across the city, causing days of civil unrest. Similar demonstrations cropped up in at least 37 cities across the U.S., both in solidarity with the LA protesters and as part of a broader protest against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
