NBA legend Charles Barkley, who now works as a television analyst on TNT Sports and CBS Sports, pivoted to the treatment of immigrants under the Donald Trump administration during CBS’s March Madness broadcast about the NCAA. The basketball Hall of Famer gave his views on the immigration crackdown after a feature on University of Connecticut star Alex Karaban, whose parents are immigrants.
Charles Barkley talks about US immigrants
Legendary basketball star Charles Barkley spoke out against the treatment of US immigrants during his appearance on CBS’s March Madness broadcast. During Sunday’s broadcast, the two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee did a feature on University of Connecticut star Alex Karaban, whose parents immigrated from Eastern Europe. Following this feature, Barkley pivoted to talking about immigration.
“I want to be very careful with my words right now. Because this is a really touchy subject for me,” the legendary Basketball player said (via HuffPost), “I love that kid and his family, but the way some of these other immigrants are getting treated in our country right now is a travesty and a disgrace.”
“I think there’s a difference between amazing immigrants and criminal immigrants, and I think what’s going on in our country — what we’re doing to some of these amazing immigrants ― is really unfortunate and it’s really sad,” he continued. “And that’s a great immigrant story — we have a lot of great immigrant stories out there, whose stories need to be told. But some of the stuff that’s happening to immigrants in our country right now is really unfortunate and is really unfair. But immigrants built this country, and we should admire them and respect them.”
Host Nate Burleson seemed to be moved by Barkley’s take on the subject. He said, “Chuck, I love you, bro.” Barkley’s comments come on the same week in which Americans took to the streets in “No Kings” rallies to protest Trump’s mistreatment of immigrants, the ongoing Iran war, and other issues plaguing the United States.
