Schwarzenegger Critiques Politicians Amid Immigration Protests
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger criticized politicians for their response to the recent mass protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere, which prompted President Trump to expand his immigration enforcement efforts.
In a conversation with TV host Jimmy Kimmel on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Schwarzenegger suggested that politicians seem more focused on gaining political leverage rather than genuinely addressing immigration issues. He stated, “If politicians do their job, this won’t happen. Instead of always pointing fingers at each other, they really need to come together and solve this problem because the American people want it.”
He reflected on the long-standing discussions about immigration reform, noting that both Democrats and Republicans haven’t prioritized resolving these issues effectively. “For almost 40 years, we’ve had issues where they talked about immigration reform, but neither party seems interested in using it to enact real change,” he remarked.
Schwarzenegger, originally from Austria and a U.S. citizen since 1983, served as governor from 2003 to 2011. He has, at times, faced allegations regarding his immigration status during his campaign but has remained a vocal figure on various issues.
During his appearance on Kimmel’s show, when discussing his past with Trump—who briefly took over his hosting role on NBC’s “The Apprentice”—Schwarzenegger humorously pretended to cry, pivoting back to the topic at hand regarding immigration and protests.
They debated for nearly 20 minutes, with Schwarzenegger arguing that the situation in Los Angeles is often misrepresented. “We don’t want tourism to suffer because of what they see on TV,” he said, emphasizing how the media can portray the city as a “big war zone.”
In light of tensions following protests against immigrant enforcement at ICE facilities, Trump responded by deploying thousands of national security personnel to Los Angeles to safeguard federal properties. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom opposed this military involvement and initiated legal action against the federal government’s deployment, which a judge ultimately rejected.
