Whoopi Goldberg and her co-hosts of “The View” denounced the apparent double standard on immigration in the casting of celebrity con artist Anna Delvey on “Dancing with the Stars” even though her court case is still pending.
Goldberg particularly drew attention to the treatment of other immigrants accused of crimes, questioning Delvey’s special treatment as she is set to appear alongside Olympian Ilona Maher, NBA star Dwight Howard and “90210” actress Tori Spelling.
“I think back to all the families whose family members were arrested by ICE and who went to court to get their father or their brother or their mother back,” Goldberg said on a Thursday episode of the show. “This woman got permission to do that.”
Delvey, whose participation in the 33rd season of “DWTS” was announced on Wednesday and was seen wearing an ankle bracelet in promotional photos, had previously stated that she had “got permission from ICE” to take part in the show – a green light that Goldberg did not like.
“Is there a two-tier system here at ICE?” asked Goldberg.
Alyssa Farah Griffin further noted that she was less concerned about Delvey’s pending trial or her criminal record for defrauding New York’s elite, but rather about her lack of remorse for her actions.
“Martha Stewart served a prison sentence. I’m here to see Martha Stewart flourish. I even put Gypsy Rose in that category because she served her sentence and admitted her wrongdoing. I’m not convinced that this person (Delvey) did that,” Griffin said.
The stars were apparently not convinced that Delvey could be rehabilitated.
“She defrauded so many people and then spent about two years in prison and then had to spend another 18 months in prison for overstaying her permit and visa,” Sunny Hostin added. “And what is the, I don’t know, consequence of that? A jeweled ankle bracelet. A government jeweled ankle bracelet and an appearance on a television show.”
“DWTS,” which airs on ABC, the same network as “The View,” has featured controversial contestants in the past, including former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
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