Arnold Schwarzenegger shut down a clear attempt by Joy Behar to stir up anti-ICE sentiment on The View Tuesday – instead taking the high road.

‘You are an immigrant yourself – an immigrant of the country,’ Behar began. ‘Did you have a visceral reaction to what they’re doing – what ICE is doing [in LA]?’

At points, co-host Sunny Hostin physically attempted to interrupt the conservative, who offered a lengthy, thoughtful response.

‘Let me tell you – you said “immigrant” – I’m so proud and happy that I was embraced by the American people like that,’ he told Behar. ‘I mean, in no other country in the world could you do that,’ he added of his career. 

‘All of this is because of America,’ the 77-year-old continued, before being showered with applause.

But Schwarzenegger was not done.

He then slammed ‘foreigners’ committing crimes in country that welcomed them, branding them ‘not smart.’  

‘This is the greatest country in the world, and it is the land of opportunity,’ he told the panelists, before offering his stance. ‘The key thing, is we need to do things legal.’

‘Because when you come to America, you’re a guest,’ he asserted. ‘And you have to behave like a guest.’

Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared to ignore an attempt from Joy Behar to stir up anti-ICE sentiment on The View Tuesday

Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared to ignore an attempt from Joy Behar to stir up anti-ICE sentiment on The View Tuesday

The assertion was met with applause, after which the 77 year-old chided 'foreigners' for taking part in illegal activities. Pictured, protests last week in LA where demonstrators torched an autonomous car

The assertion was met with applause, after which the 77 year-old chided ‘foreigners’ for taking part in illegal activities. Pictured, protests last week in LA where demonstrators torched an autonomous car

As he spoke, protests that began in LA last week had spread to other cities across the US, some of them violent.

‘Like, when I go to someone’s house and I’m a guest, then I will do everything I can to keep things clean,’ Schwarzenegger said of such demonstrations.  ‘Everything that is the right thing to do – rather than committing a crime or being abusive.’

The Terminator ultimately declared that immigrants should be working not only to improve their situations but the country that accepted them as well

‘I am going to America to use the great opportunities that America has – in education, jobs, creating a family, all of those kind of things,’ he urged, speaking from an immigrant’s perspective.

‘Then you have to think, “If I get all of those things from America, I have to give something back.”‘  

He told immigrants in the country that they ‘have a responsibility as an immigrant to give back to America [and] to pay back America.’

‘Go do something for your community for no money whatsoever.

‘Make this country a better place,’ he added. Another round of applause ensued. 

Schwarzenegger – one of the rare Republicans to win a Gubernatorial bid in the Golden State –  voted for Kamala Harris in last year’s election.

'This is the greatest country in the world, and it is the land of opportunity,' Schwarzenegger said. 'And because I'm such a proud American, and a proud immigrant... the key thing, is we need to do things legal'

‘This is the greatest country in the world, and it is the land of opportunity,’ Schwarzenegger said. ‘And because I’m such a proud American, and a proud immigrant… the key thing, is we need to do things legal’

An activist holds aloft a Mexican flag and an effigy of US President Donald J. Trump's head as cars burn during protests sparked by immigration raids in Los Angeles, California

An activist holds aloft a Mexican flag and an effigy of US President Donald J. Trump’s head as cars burn during protests sparked by immigration raids in Los Angeles, California

Trump on Monday ordered a new blitz on Democrat cities that will see huge numbers of illegal immigrants rounded up for the 'largest mass deportation in history', a week of immigration enforcement efforts in LA where protests escalated into violence

Trump on Monday ordered a new blitz on Democrat cities that will see huge numbers of illegal immigrants rounded up for the ‘largest mass deportation in history’, a week of immigration enforcement efforts in LA where protests escalated into violence 

A well known Trump critic, he added separately: ‘Democrats and Republicans have to come together and solve [immigration reform] if they really want to be public servants.’

Other appearances have seen the Republican similarly choose to not sensationalize – or politicize – the immigration issue more than it already has.

Trump on Monday ordered a new blitz on Democrat cities that will see huge numbers of illegal immigrants rounded up for the ‘largest mass deportation in history’,  a week of immigration enforcement efforts in LA where protests escalated into violence.

That prompted Trump to respond by sending in the National Guard and hundreds of Marines.

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