The View Hosts Clash Over Kristi Noem's Immigration Stance

Elisabeth Hasselbeck defends the South Dakota governor's testimony, sparking heated debate with fellow panelists

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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During a discussion on The View about South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's congressional testimony, guest host Elisabeth Hasselbeck found herself at odds with her fellow panelists as she defended Noem's stance on immigration and border security. The exchange grew increasingly tense, with Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines challenging Hasselbeck's positions and accusing Noem of lacking empathy and mishandling the issue.

Why it matters

The heated debate on The View highlights the ongoing partisan divide over immigration policy in the United States, with Republicans generally favoring stricter border controls and Democrats pushing for more compassionate approaches. The segment also reflects the broader political tensions surrounding the Trump administration's immigration agenda and the Biden administration's efforts to reform the system.

The details

Hasselbeck argued that Noem's testimony highlighted positive statistics, such as a decrease in fentanyl trafficking and encounters at the border. However, Hostin and Haines pushed back, questioning the relevance of those figures and criticizing Noem's lack of empathy for the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The discussion devolved into a heated exchange, with Hasselbeck reading a list of individuals killed by undocumented immigrants and the other panelists accusing her of being dismissive.

  • The discussion took place on the March 4, 2026 episode of The View.

The players

Elisabeth Hasselbeck

A former co-host of The View who returned as a guest host for this episode.

Sunny Hostin

A co-host of The View who challenged Hasselbeck's defense of Kristi Noem.

Sara Haines

A co-host of The View who also pushed back against Hasselbeck's positions on immigration.

Kristi Noem

The Republican governor of South Dakota whose congressional testimony on immigration was the subject of the debate.

Whoopi Goldberg

The moderator of The View who intervened to argue that the Biden administration had attempted to pass bipartisan immigration reform.

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What they’re saying

“Secretary Noem is wholly unqualified for her job. She has zero empathy.”

— Sunny Hostin, Co-host (The View)

“As a woman, and you should be able to relate to this point, a man comes at me with a mask and a gun, I am taught instinctively to fight or flight. If someone knocks on my door in the middle of the night. So the way it's been carried out is in the problematic part.”

— Sara Haines, Co-host (The View)

“I understand. I also believe that we have a God of borders. We have a nation of borders for good reason. I hate the fact that people are dying in this. My heart actually bleeds for this.”

— Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Guest host (The View)

What’s next

The View is expected to continue covering the ongoing debate over immigration policy and the political fallout from Kristi Noem's congressional testimony.

The takeaway

The heated exchange on The View underscores the deep partisan divide over immigration in the United States, with Republicans favoring stricter border controls and Democrats pushing for more compassionate approaches. The segment reflects the broader political tensions surrounding the Trump administration's immigration agenda and the Biden administration's efforts to reform the system.