Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t take Joy Behar’s bait to push Dems’ preferred narrative on ICE raids

Hollywood actor and former Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday did not give “The View” co-host Joy Behar the reaction she appeared to hope for when she broached the topic of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) raids in Los Angeles, California.

Behar asked Schwarzenegger if he had a “visceral reaction” to the arrests of hundreds of illegal immigrants in the Los Angeles area, many who have been convicted of heinous criminal acts, including murder and grand theft larceny. Without directly commenting on the raids, the former California governor, an immigrant from Austria, stated that the American people “embraced” him and allowed him to achieve success in a way that would not happen in any other country.

“You are an immigrant, you’re an immigrant of this country,” Behar told Schwarzenegger. “Did you have a visceral reaction to what ICE is doing when you see the videos of it?”

“Well, I’ll tell you. You say ‘immigrant.’ I am so proud and happy that I was embraced by the American people like that,” Schwarzenegger said. “I mean, imagine, I come over here at the age of 21 with absolutely nothing and then to create a career like that. I mean, in no other country in the world could you do that. Every single thing, if it’s a body building career or my acting career, becoming governor, the beautiful family that I’ve created. All of this is because of America. And so this is why I’m so, so happy to see firsthand to see that this is the greatest country in the world and it is the land of opportunity.”

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Schwarzenegger also asserted that immigrants must enter the U.S. legally and that they must “behave” like the guests that they are. He argued that while an immigrant must take advantage of the opportunities that America offers, they must “give something back” in return.

“The key thing is, at the same time, that you got to do things legal[ly],” the former governor said. “That is the important thing. You gotta do things legal[ly] and those people that are doing illegal things in America, the foreigners, they are not smart because when you come to America, you’re a guest, and you have to behave like a guest. It’s like when I go to someone’s house, and I’m a guest, then I will do everything I can to keep things clean and to make my plate and do everything that is the right thing to do rather than committing a crime or being abusive or something like that.”

ICE agents arrested hundreds of illegal immigrants in early June as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration and deportations. Among those arrested in the Los Angeles area included those convicted of second-degree murder, intent to commit rape, sexual battery and drug distribution, according to a June 8 press release issued by the the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which said that ICE arrested the “worst of the worst” criminals.

Rioters set vehicles and other objects on fire, throw Molotov cocktails and fireworks, vandalized property and assaulted police officers in response to the ICE raids for several days. Trump deployed over 2,000 National Guard troops on June 8 and around 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles to combat the violence, which immediately got unsuccessfully challenged by the state of California.

During a riot on Sunday, National Guard troops lined up on the streets just minutes before curfew in an attempt to disperse the groups of rioters.

Los Angeles feels like a complete war zone now — about 10 minutes till curfew. Pregnant woman was trying to walk home and nearly got caught in the crossfire @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/dawpZNA603

— Hailey Grace Gomez (@haileyggomez) June 15, 2025

Officers were seen throwing tear gas and flash bangs in order to keep large groups of rioters and protesters apart.

protesters chant “it is right to rebel, la migra go to hell” while trying to join up with another group. Officers are still shooting gas and flash bangs to keep the two separated @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/XXPuXafoS9

— Hailey Grace Gomez (@haileyggomez) June 15, 2025

DHS confirmed that Emiliano Garduno-Galvez, a previously deported Mexican national, is facing attempted murder charges for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at ICE agents on June 7

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