Laura Ingraham opens her show with a direct message to white nationalists

Fox News host Laura Ingraham addressed the controversy surrounding her commentary she offered on Wednesday's show about immigration and demographic changes in the United States.

'You are antithetical to the beliefs I hold dear'

"I want to start tonight by addressing my commentary at the top of last night's show," Ingraham said. "A message to those who are distorting my views, including all white nationalists and especially one racist freak whose name I won't even mention."

Ingraham might have been referring to David Duke, who responded positively to her Wednesday commentary.

"You do not have my support, you don't represent my views, and you are antithetical to the beliefs I hold dear," she continued, forcefully.

"The purpose of last night's Angle was to point out that the rule of law, meaning secure borders, is something that used to bind our country together," she explained. "And despite what some may be contending, I made explicitly clear that my commentary had nothing to do with race or ethnicity, but rather a shared goal of keeping America safe, and her citizens safe and prosperous."

'How we define our country'

"Furthermore as I have said repeatedly on this show, merit-based immigration does wonders for our country's economy, our way of life, and how we define our country," she added. "I even said that in my opening thoughts last night.

"I want to make it really clear that my concern will continue to remain with the families who have suffered the tragic results of illegal immigration, the children put in dangerous and unfair situations at the border, and all those border agents around the country, who work to keep our country safe."

Here's the commentary from Ingraham:

Ingraham was highly criticized for commentary where she said that the United States many loved didn't exist anymore because of immigration, both legal and illegal. She decried the changes in the country because of "demographic" changes — something many took to mean racial changes, though she specifically denied that later in the commentary.