Charles Barkley, the NBA icon, left viewers of CBS’ March Madness in shock on Sunday night with a fervent outburst on immigration issues.

As basketball enthusiasts across the United States tuned in to witness the thrilling contest between UConn and Duke for a coveted spot in the Final Four, Barkley took a moment to address a topic close to his heart during a game pause.

While analyzing UConn standout Alex Karaban, whose family hails from Belarus and Ukraine, Barkley launched into a discussion about the broader issue of immigration in the United States.

He began cautiously, acknowledging the sensitivity of the topic: “I want to choose my words carefully because this is a personal issue for me,” he remarked.

Expressing admiration for Karaban and his family, Barkley criticized the treatment of some immigrants, calling it a “travesty and a disgrace.”

He differentiated between what he described as “amazing immigrants” and those involved in criminal activities, lamenting the unfortunate circumstances facing many deserving immigrants in the country today.

NBA legend Charles Barkley stunned March Madness viewers with a rant about immigration

The panel was discussing UConn’s Alex Karaban, whose parents are from Belarus and Ukraine

Barkley issued a plea for Donald Trump to take action after Alex Pretti was killed in Minnesota

‘That’s a great immigrant story and we have a lot of great immigrant stories out there that need to be told. But some of the stuff that is happening to immigrants in our country right now is really unfortunate and unfair.’

‘Immigrants built this country, and we should admire them and respect them,’ he concluded.  

After Barkley was finished, CBS host Nate Burleson said: ‘Chuck, I love you, bro’.

But Barkley’s comments sparked fury on social media, with fans wishing he’d stick to matters on the court.

‘Why is this topic talked about during a college basketball show?’ one viewer asked.

Another commented: ‘Keep politics out of sports, Chuck. No one cares about your opinion!’

A third posted: ‘Stop politicizing the @NCAA unless you want to go to decreased ratings town like the @NBA – we can do better than these jokers @MarchMadnessMBB’.

‘What does that have to do with the NCAA tournament?’ another viewer asked.

Barkley, 63, admitted after the presidential election in 2024 that he’s ‘an Independent who voted Democratic’.

Donald Trump’s administration has made deporting illegal immigrants and defending America’s borders its top priorities during his second term in the White House.

Border Patrol and ICE have launched controversial operations to remove illegal immigrants in a number of major cities across the country. 

Back in January, Barkley issued a desperate plea for Trump to take action after Alex Pretti was ‘executed’ by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot and killed after a struggle with federal agents. It came just two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Good was fatally shot in her car as she drove away from a group of officers following a confrontation.

Hours after the shooting, the NBA game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors was postponed. Barkley and the ‘Inside The NBA’ crew, which also features Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith, were due to be covering the game for ABC.

When they returned from a commercial break, host Johnson asked Barkley for his thoughts on the ongoing situation in Minneapolis.

Barkley replied: ‘It’s just sad, man. It’s scary. It’s sad. I don’t know how… It’s going to end bad – it’s already ended badly twice.

‘Somebody has got to step up and be adults. Two people have died for no reason, and it’s just sad.’ 

Barkley has previously said he’d punch black people who show support for Trump by wearing his infamous mug shot on a t-shirt. He also called for Joe Biden to step down from the race for the White House in 2024 after his disastrous debate against Trump.