Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger opened up about being a “proud American and proud immigrant” during a recent visit to The View, but co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin gave some push back when he spoke about immigrants’ “illegal” activity.

Schwarzenegger implored immigrants to “make this country a better place” and “give back to America” as he looked back on the life he’s built since arriving here at the age of 21.

“I just think the world of the great history we have with immigrants. But the thing is also, at the same time, is that we got to do things legal, and those people that are doing illegal things in America, they are not smart,” he said. “Because when you come to America, you’re guests, and you have to behave like a guest… That is the right thing to do, rather than committing a crime or being abusive or something like that. That doesn’t really work in this country.”

Goldberg was the first to gently push back on Schwarzenegger’s point and remind him, “Arnold, don’t forget 90% of the people who come here are trying to do the right thing.”
arnold schwarzenegger sunny hostin on the viewPhoto: ABC
Hostin also interjected to add that immigrants are “less likely to commit crimes to commit crimes in this country than actually American-born citizens.”

Goldberg continued addressing the difficulties immigrants are currently facing under the Trump administration amidst the ICE raids occurring across the country.

“The thing that’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,” Goldberg said. “We want all the right people, we don’t want people who are doing the bad stuff.”

Schwarzenegger spent most of his time on The View reflecting on his decades-long acting career.

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“If it’s my body building career, if it’s my acting career, becoming governor, the beautiful family that I’ve created, all of this is because of America,” he said. “So this is why I’m so so happy to see firsthand that this is the greatest country in the world and this is the land of opportunity.”