Arnold Schwarzenegger Says Immigrants in US have ‘Responsibilities’, Should ‘Behave Like a Guest’

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on The View Tuesday, where he emphasized that immigrants who are in the US have certain “responsibilities” to adhere to.

“I just think the world of the great history that we have with immigrants in America, but the key thing also is at the same time, that we’ve got to do things legal,” Schwarzenegger said during his appearance. “That is the most important thing. You’ve got to do things legal, and those people that are doing illegal things in America, and they’re the foreigners, they are not smart, because, when you come to America, you’re a guest.” 

The actor and former governor likened being in the US as an immigrant to being a guest 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 and to make my bed and to do everything that is the right thing to do rather than committing a crime, or being abusive or something like that, so that doesn’t really work in this country,” he explained.

Schwarzenegger, who emigrated from Austria and became a US citizen in 1983, stressed that immigrants benefit from American opportunities and therefore have a duty to contribute in return. “Then you have to think about, ‘OK, if I get all of those things from America, then I have to give something back,’” he said. “You have a responsibility as an immigrant to give back to America and to pay back to America and go and do something for your community for no money whatsoever. Give something back to after-school programs, Special Olympics, or whatever it is, make this a better place,” he said.

His appearance followed recent remarks speaking with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, where he downplayed concerns over the state of Los Angeles following violent protests. Schwarzenegger disagreed with the media portraying the violence in Los Angeles as a “war zone” or “some kind of totalitarian hellscape.”

“They make it out like it is a war zone — the whole Los Angeles — the whole city or the county,” Schwarzenegger claimed. “The fact of the matter is it’s maybe like 0.001% of the area of Los Angeles has problems and there’s a protest.”