More than a dozen advertisers quit Tucker Carlson show over immigration comment — here's his defiant response

Some Fox News advertisers began an exodus away from the popular Tucker Carlson show after the host made contentious comments on immigration.

Carlson made the comments originally on Thursday.

"As an economic matter, this is insane," Carlson said. "It's indefensible so nobody even tries to defend it."

"Instead, our leaders demand that we shut up and accept this. 'We have a moral obligation to admit the world's poor,' they tell us, even if it makes our own country poorer and dirtier and more divided," he added.

"Immigration is a form of atonement; previous leaders of our country committed sins, we must pay for those sins by welcoming an endless chain of migrant caravans," he explained. "That's the argument they make."

Immediately a campaign among left-wing critics of Fox News sought out advertisers of the show to drop their support. The first company to quit the show was Pacific Life.

"We will not be advertising on Mr. Carlson's program in the coming weeks as we reevaluate our relationship with his program," they said in a statement.

Axios reported that 13 companies subsequently pulled their ads from the show, including Just For Men, Jaguar Land Rover, United Explorer credit card, IHOP and NerdWallet.

"We're not intimidated"

Carlson has remained defiant despite the campaign against his comments and his show.

"It's a tactic, a well-worn one, nobody thinks it's real," Carlson said in response to the companies leaving. "And it won't work with this show."

"We're not intimidated," he concluded. "We plan to try to say what's true until the last day."

Fox News released a statement in support of Carlson and his right to speak freely after the first advertiser dropped out.

"It is a shame that left wing advocacy groups, under the guise of being supposed 'media watchdogs' weaponize social media against companies in an effort to stifle free speech," the statement read.

"We continue to stand by and work with our advertisers through these unfortunate and unnecessary distractions," the statement concluded.

Here's the video response from Carlson to his critics: