
“Thanks for your time, best of luck in your job search. Goodbye.”
I would probably agree with you, but HR actually does not decide policies like that. That's up to the owner/ceo/executive leadership/board of directors.
By law in my state, we aren’t allowed to ask about criminal background before an offer has been accepted. So if they’re telling me this during an interview I’m seriously questioning their judgement in disclosing a conviction so early.
If you mean post-offer, I wouldn’t even engage. “Thanks and good luck.”
Any prohibition against a felon being hired is typically imposed by some government regulator. Talk to the government if you've got a problem with it.
Usually answers like that read as a deflection from whatever the actually question was.
Also, it is terrible idea to bring up politics (or other personal topics) during a professional interview. It instantly causes a visceral reaction (good or bad) from people and isn’t something you can control.