Fox News host Jesse Watters sharply criticized co-host Jessica Tarlov during Monday’s episode of The Five, eliciting viral responses within conservative circles regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego García, the ‘Maryland man’ associated with MS-13.
“Well, Jessica keeps on saying there’s all these mistakes,” Watters said. “First, she said this guy was picked up because he had a bull’s hat. And then he has tattoos on his hand that spell MS-13.” She returned fire: “That’s not true!” Watters responded, “Yes it is! Read the symbolism, Jessica.” From there, Watters criticized the timeline of the case, pointing out that the Salvadoran national had been linked to a gang sweep, suspected of human trafficking, and accused of domestic violence—all while Democrats and the media portrayed him as the sympathetic “Maryland Dad.”
“Then he’s wearing paraphernalia that says the slogan of MS-13. And then he gets caught up in a gang sweep with ranking members of MS-13 as part of a murder investigation, then gets pulled over and is suspected of human trafficking, then gets accused of slugging his wife twice and she has it on video. And suddenly his name isn’t Maryland Dad, it’s Due Process. You transitioned pretty quickly, Jessica,” Watters continued.
Abrego García’s deportation triggered backlash from left-wing Democrats and advocacy groups, who argue the removal defied a judge’s prior ruling shielding him from deportation due to gang-related threats in El Salvador. ICE defended the action, citing public safety concerns and Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act after designating MS-13 and other violent foreign gangs terrorist organizations. García is now being held in his home country of El Salvador.
Watters also blasted the Biden administration’s immigration track record, accusing Democrats of hypocrisy on the issue.
“And to say this administration never admits a mistake,” he said, “you guys never admitted you opened the border for four years.”
“Yes, we did,” Tarlov replied.
Jesse Watters took down Jessica Tarlov in a heated exchange over the Maryland man.pic.twitter.com/7evtor8eKg
— Department of Government Efficiency News (@DOGE__news) April 22, 2025
“Come on,” Watters responded. “You’re saying this guy is afraid to go home? Because that’s funny. In 2019, when he was popped, he said he wasn’t afraid to go home. Jessica, funny that you’re in the due process now, after bringing us the Me Too movement, cancel culture and the Trump trials.” He added: “You can’t break into the country and ignore the process of coming here and then want a process to leave. You cannot cut the line to come here and then ask to be put in a line to go home. If you guys are going to be the defense attorneys for every criminal gangbanger in America, after you’ve allowed the gangs to invade and now say all of them need lawyers, it’s gonna be an eternity, Jessica, to get these people out of here.”
When Tarlov raised concerns about slippery slope deportation policies, Watters dismissed the fear as exaggerated. “And the slippery slope argument, is this the slipperiest slope you’ve ever seen? If they deport an MS-13 terrorist, you’re next,” Watters said. “Who? Tarlov asked. Watters then said: “The Puerto Ricans? Anybody with a tan, Jessica? Are you next? No one believes that. No one believes that. This is the dictator hoax all over again, and you lost on that the last time.”
