Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera slams use of tear gas against migrants: 'I am ashamed…These are desperate people'

• Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera on Monday said he was "ashamed" to see tear gas used on migrants at the US-Mexico border over the weekend.
• "For goodness sake, we suspend our humanity when it comes to this issue, and I fear that it is because they look different than the mainstream," Rivera said. 
• President Donald Trump on Monday defended the actions of immigration authorities, claiming they were reacting to some "tough people" who were rushing the border.

Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera on Monday said he was "ashamed" to see tear gas used on migrants at the US-Mexico border over the weekend and issued an impassioned plea for the US to take a more humane approach to immigration. 

"I am ashamed. The tear gas choked me," Rivera said. "We treat these people, these economic refugees, as if they're zombies from 'The Walking Dead.'"

Rivera implored people to have more empathy and look at the bigger picture when it comes to the issue of immigration.

Read more: Conservatives are zeroing in on Obama's immigration history to defend Trump, but experts say that's a 'tactic for distraction'

He also condemned the characterization of the migrants as "invaders," calling on politicians and others to stop using "these military analogies." President Donald Trump has unapologetically referred to the migrant caravan as an invasion, at times sparring with reporters over his choice of words in this regard. 

Rivera said the overall reaction to the Central American migrants attempting to seek asylum in the US has been "painful to watch," reminding the audience the US is a "nation of immigrants."

"These are desperate people. They walked 2,000 miles. Why? Because they want to rape your daughter or steal your lunch? No! Because they want a job. They want to fill the millions of unfilled jobs we have in the agricultural sector. They want to wash dishes in the restaurants. They want to deliver the pizzas," Rivera said. 

He added, "For goodness sake, we suspend our humanity when it comes to this issue, and I fear that it is because they look different than the mainstream."

Trump on Monday defended the actions of immigration authorities, claiming they were reacting to some "very tough people" who were rushing the border. But images from the incident showed women and children running away in horror after they were confronted with tear gas.