PoliticsCharles Barkley Questions Trump's ICE Stunt Before Midterms: 'That's Their Only Playbook to Win'
Barkley ripped Trump's ICE stunt.
Oct. 7 2026, Published 1:47 p.m. ET
NBA pundit and former athlete Charles Barkley weighed in on the 2026 midterms, claiming Donald Trump's plot to send ICE to sanctuary cities is a ploy to depress the immigrant vote.
"What's his other play?" the 63-year-old sighed in a conversation with Chris Cuomo on The Chris Cuomo Project.
Barkley Sees Anti-immigration as Republicans' 'Only Playbook'
Barkley bemoaned Trump drumming up anti-immigrant sentiment.
The Department of Homeland Security announced a plan to send ICE to blue states in late September. To Barkley, the plot is a way to drum up anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of a midterms where Republicans face brutal headwinds, as President Trump is deeply underwater on a variety of issues.
"You can't go back on the economy, because these people out here can't afford gas, and can't afford their meals," Barkley opined. "You can't say, 'Hey, we got a war going on. I don't know what's gonna end.' So, that's their only playbook. Race and immigration subjects — that's their only playbook to win elections now."
Barkley Slammed ICE Overreach
Barkley called for ICE to leave hard working immigrants alone.
The star also voiced criticism of how ICE operates. Though Trump and the DHS have repeatedly insisted that they're only going after "the worst of the worst" criminals, most targeted by ICE have been imprisoned for minor offenses, if they even have criminal records at all.
Barkley, a self described "independent who votes with Democrats most of the time," conceded that he believed ICE "has a place," but added, "I don't like half the stuff they're doing right now because we know who the crooks are. Like arresting innocent citizens and things like that, killing innocent people. Nobody wants that."
He continued. "I'm pretty sure most Republicans don't want that. We know who the crooks are. We know who the great American hardworking immigrants are. Leave them the h--- alone."
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He Also Voiced Trepidation With Some Far-Left Proposals
Barkley did not support getting rid of prisons or police.
The former Sun and 76er also criticized Democrats during the conversation, arguing some proposals on the left went too far.
"Some of these people out here talking about no ICE, no prison. So using words like 'socialism,' like, no, I don't believe in that. Wait, wait. No. No cops. I think that's some of the stupidest s--- I've ever heard," he admitted.
"What are we going to do without cops? What are we going to do without prisons? Like I've seen some of these politicians I like. This is the stupidest s--- ever," he continued.
Both Left and Right Commenters Celebrated Portions of the Interview
Barkley also complained Trump made it 'popular to be racist.'
Barkley's conversation with Cuomo gave political commentators from both sides sound bites to promote.
The NBA star's criticism of the POTUS also made headlines.
“I think one of the worst things about Trump, he’s made it popular to be racist. There’s no consequences for being racist now. A lot of people are wearing it with a badge of courage. He never denounces it. Nah, he should denounce it. He’s made it more acceptable to be racist,” Barkley insisted.
He also was aghast that Trump survived calling a female reporter "Piggy" in 2025, saying, "Can you imagine President Obama saying that to a white woman? Call her Miss Piggy? If President Obama called a white woman Miss Piggy, America would be up in arms."
