John Oliver calls out 'idiots' Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham for disparaging U.S. acceptance of Afghan refugees

On Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Sunday, Oliver ripped Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham for disparaging the notion of Afghan refugees being resettled in the U.S. Both Carlson and Ingraham spent much of last week on the subject, with Carlson comparing Afghan refugees coming to the U.S. to an invasion, and Ingraham saying, “The lesson of this 20-year war cannot be that every time we turn a country upside down or make huge mistakes, our immigration laws, our refugee laws no longer apply.”

Oliver played clips of both, and responded by saying, “Okay, first, f**k off, you tag team racial panic goblins. Second, the notion of ‘every time we turn a country upside down’ is an incredible thing to just blow past. Maybe that's the lesson here, Laura. Maybe don't keep turning countries upside down in the first place.”

Oliver also believes that due to the huge role the U.S. played in creating the situation in which these refugees now find themselves, it’s our obligation to help them, despite what immigration and refugee laws might say.

“As for ‘our refugee laws no longer apply,’ we are a big part of why those people are refugees,” Oliver said. “Helping them now isn't charity, it's doing the bare minimum. Refusing to help a neighbor whose home just burned down is sh***y. Doing it when you helped start the fire is f***ing monstrous.”

Video transcript

JOHN OLIVER: We have a clear obligation to take in Afghans who are now vulnerable and not just those that worked with US troops, but those like Fatima and her children, whose lives are now at grave risk. Although some conservative commentators are already trying to get way out ahead of that.

KYLIE MAR: On "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" Sunday, Oliver joined the chorus of voices condemning some in conservative media for discouraging the acceptance of Afghan refugees in the US. Oliver specifically called out Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham who spent last week disparaging the notion.

TUCKER CARLSON: Over the next decade, that number may swell to the millions. So first we invade and then we're invaded.

LAURA INGRAHAM: The lesson of this 20-year war cannot be that every time we turn a country upside down or make huge mistakes, our immigration laws, our refugee laws no longer apply.

KYLIE MAR: While representative Ilhan Omar, who came to this country as a refugee when she was a child, said she was not surprised by this, Oliver had a much more colorful response.

JOHN OLIVER: First, [BLEEP] off, you tag team racial panic goblins. Second, the notion of every time we turn a country upside down is an incredible thing to just blow past. Maybe that's the lesson here, Laura. Maybe don't keep turning countries upside down in the first place.

KYLIE MAR: As the US struggles to remove every Afghan attempting to flee the Taliban, Oliver believes it's our obligation to help in a situation we had a big part in creating.

JOHN OLIVER: We are a big part of why those people are refugees. Helping them now isn't charity. It's doing the bare minimum. Refusing to help a neighbor whose home just burned down [BLEEP]. Doing it when you helped stop the fire is [BLEEP] monstrous.

KYLIE MAR: And as refugees begin arriving in the US, Oliver gave a call to action to ensure it continues.

JOHN OLIVER: To the extent that any hesitation about doing this is due to fear of political blowback, thanks to idiots like these. Call your representatives and tell them that you care about this, because if they think that you don't, it is not going to happen.