Geraldo and Pete Hegseth Battle Over Massive ICE Sweep in Mississippi: ‘Why Arrest 700 Hardworking Shlubs?’

Fox & Friends seldom gets more heated than when Geraldo Rivera stops by to debate immigration topics. And indeed, his appearance Friday led to a tussle with one of the show’s fill-in hosts.

At the top of the show’s third hour, Geraldo battled with Pete Hegseth — standing in for Steve Doocy — over the massive ICE sweep in Mississippi of 680 undocumented workers.

“I think it’s a perfect way for ICE to have the worst reputation of any law enforcement agency in the country,” Geraldo said. “If you take these highly trained agents, and you have them apprehending a guy who’s worked there for 15 years, and the American TV viewer — and we saw it last night — see his 11-year-old daughter sobbing, ‘Where’s my daddy? I don’t have any daddy to take care of me'”

Hegseth cut Geraldo off.

“Geraldo, you’re appealing to emotions,” Hegseth said. “We have a rule of law in this country. And ultimately, to get past your talking points, all you have to do look at the details. Three of these companies were knowingly and fraudulently using false Social Security numbers and identities of employees, which is breaking the law.”

He added, “When you don’t enfore the rule of law, then it’s open season.”

Rivera argued that the mass arrests will not have as much impact as the arrests of those in charge.

“Listen, I absolutely appreciate your sincerity, Pete,” Geraldo said. “I believe that you absolutely, with your heart of hearts, believe everything you just said. But here’s an example of what I’m talking about: Why arrest 700 hardworking shlubs who’ve been there forever? You want to affect the policy, arrest the boss! Arrest the guy who runs the plant.”

Brian Kilmeade said that he spoke to the U.S. attorney overseeing the case, who told him “they’ve all been charged.”

Watch above, via Fox News.