Fox News host Jesse Watters is facing backlash after openly mocking his co-host Jessica Tarlov for criticizing the Trump administration’s controversial deportation of allegedly innocent people to El Salvador—including a young makeup artist who ended up imprisoned due to a tattoo.

The heated exchange unfolded during a recent segment of Fox’s hit show The Five. Tarlov had expressed deep concerns about the Trump administration’s use of the obscure 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which it invoked to deport suspected gang members affiliated with Venezuela’s violent Tren de Aragua. She cited troubling examples of mistaken identity, notably the deportation of 31-year-old makeup artist Andry José Hernández Romero, who, according to ACLU filings, was detained in El Salvador solely because of his tattoo—a harmless crown design with the word “mom.”

But Watters dismissed Tarlov’s concerns with a mocking tone: “Jessica, you’ve been talking about this gay barber in El Salvador with some stupid tattoo for weeks. Weeks, Jessica. It’s just a gay barber!”

Tarlov had previously highlighted fears that innocent deportees could face unjust imprisonment—or worse, torture—at the hands of the El Salvadorian government.

Adding to the uncomfortable moment, co-host Greg Gutfeld jumped in with a joke aimed at Tarlov, saying, “He’s not into you!”

Despite initially dismissing the seriousness of the case, Watters later conceded Romero might indeed have been innocent and simply “got swept up” unintentionally. But he doubled down on his broader stance: “Jessica, a lot of people in this country get arrested for things they didn’t do… that doesn’t mean you stop arresting criminals because one guy was arrested who was innocent. It just means you try to do it better the next time.”

Tarlov sharply countered, reinforcing her stance against racial profiling and wrongful arrests. The tense exchange highlighted a fundamental disagreement on Fox News over how far authorities should go in immigration enforcement, and drew criticism online for Watters’ casual dismissal of a serious human rights issue.

As the controversy continues to simmer, Watters’ remarks have once again placed the spotlight on the provocative—and polarizing—nature of Fox News’ most popular show.