A tense exchange unfolded Tuesday on Fox News’ The Five when host Jesse Watters and co-host Jessica Tarlov clashed over the deportation of illegal aliens, reflecting the ongoing national debate over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
During the segment, Watters criticized Democrats for opposing the administration’s deportation efforts while defending individuals with criminal histories.
“They’re all going out. And as a matter of fact, they’re not going out fast enough. They should be going out way faster,” Watters said.
He argued that the administration’s enforcement has been precise.
“Isn’t it funny how they haven’t had one mistake, not one mistake. They haven’t deported a single American citizen. Not one. All you can point to, your one guy is a Maryland dad that beats his wife and traffics children. That’s your guy. That’s your mistake. That’s your guy. I think they’re batting 1,000. Prove me wrong.”
Tarlov pushed back, referencing another case she said demonstrated problems with deportation decisions.
“Well, he’s somebody who was sexually assaulted repeatedly in CECOT and wasn’t supposed to be sent there, which is why they had to be sent back and — ” she began, before being interrupted by Watters.
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Her comments referred to 32-year-old Andry Hernández Romero, a Venezuelan makeup artist who was deported earlier this year.
According to reports, Romero had been detained at the California border before being transferred to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, where he alleged he was assaulted.
Romero’s asylum case was later dismissed by a California federal immigration judge in May.
Watters rejected Tarlov’s argument.
“You think I believe anything that comes out of your mouth on immigration? I don’t believe it! You said the Maryland dad was an American dad,” he said, referring to Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.
Abrego Garcia has become a focal point in the immigration debate.
Deported to El Salvador in March, he drew support from Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who traveled to the country to meet with him.
Abrego Garcia was later returned to the United States to face charges tied to human smuggling, though the Trump administration has continued to pursue his removal.
In August, the administration sought to deport him to Uganda, but U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, appointed during the Obama administration, ordered that he remain in U.S. custody pending an evidentiary hearing.
Last week, however, Immigration and Customs Enforcement informed Abrego Garcia’s attorneys that he would instead be deported to Eswatini, Africa.
The exchange between Watters and Tarlov escalated as they argued over Immigration and Customs Enforcement statistics, specifically the number of deported individuals with prior criminal records.
Tarlov pointed to what she described as mistakes in enforcement, including a case involving an illegal immigrant woman detained while ICE pursued another suspect.
“So she was illegal, and they deported her. Wow. That’s your example?” Watters replied.
The back-and-forth forced co-host Greg Gutfeld to cut to a break.
The debate comes amid heightened attention on Trump’s immigration agenda, which has prioritized fast-tracking deportations and addressing criminal cases among illegal aliens.
While Democrats have framed the issue around humanitarian concerns and individual cases, Republicans have emphasized enforcement, arguing that the administration’s policies are necessary to secure the border and uphold the law.
The cases of Romero and Abrego Garcia remain part of the broader legal and political battles over immigration enforcement, with court rulings, administration policy, and congressional debate shaping the outcomes.
As the administration presses forward, the disputes on Capitol Hill and in media forums reflect the stark divide over how the United States handles illegal immigration.
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