Charles Barkley Speaks Out Against Trump Immigration Policy On Elite Eight Coverage

Hall of Famer Charles Barkley criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration policy during Elite Eight coverage this weekend.

Barkley was a studio host of the game between Duke and UConn. They were talking about Alex Karaban, whose parents immigrated from Ukraine and Belarus in the mid-1990s. 

“That’s a great immigrant story … but some of the stuff 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,” Barkley said.

The timing of these comments was notable, as they occurred on the same day as the No Kings protest. These protests are designed to protest the Trump administration by encouraging voter registration and supporting checks and balances.

While UConn was beating Duke in a massive upset, an estimated eight to nine million Americans were in the streets protesting. It was the largest single-day protest in American history. 

Since his playing days, Barkley has been known for being outspoken. Although many of his comments deal with his opinions about other players, he does occasionally talk about politics as well. He’s said that the political system is designed to keep people separated and that the education system has failed young, black students.