Tristan Thompson is stepping into the immigration debate, and his comments about Donald Trump’s policies are already getting attention. In an upcoming episode of The Katie Miller Podcast, the NBA veteran voiced support for Trump’s hardline stance on illegal immigration and said he likes what the president has done so far for the country.
“What President [Donald] Trump is doing, first of all, I love what he’s done so far for our country,” Thompson said. “I think he’s helped our country a lot.” He then tied that support to immigration, saying he believes people who go through the legal process should come first.
“In terms of where he stands with [immigration], I think…I’m a firm believer because I have family members and I have people that are immigrants,” Thompson said. “I believe for those that do the thing the right way and get the papers, I think they should be taken care of first and foremost. I think that’s the right thing. I think that’s the right way of going about it.”
At the same time, Thompson said he does not see every case the same way. “I think it should be case by case on the right people. I understand where he’s coming from, but for me, it varies depending on who the person is,” he said, describing his view as more nuanced than a blanket position.
His comments have drawn extra attention because Thompson is Canadian-born and came to the United States on a student visa before later becoming a U.S. citizen. In remarks previously shared by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, he said, “I came to the U.S. on a student visa and have always had big dreams. I’m now truly living the American dream.”
The timing of his remarks is a big part of why they are making noise now. Immigration has remained at the center of Trump’s second-term agenda, with the administration facing legal and political battles over enforcement measures, including an attempt to revoke legal status for migrants who entered through the Biden-era CBP One system. On March 31, a federal judge in Boston ruled that the administration had unlawfully terminated that status.
There is also continued scrutiny around detention policy. Reuters reported this week that the Department of Homeland Security has paused new plans to buy or convert large warehouses into immigrant detention sites while the new DHS leadership reviews those contracts.
So while Thompson kept his remarks focused on legal immigration and fairness, they landed in the middle of a much bigger national fight over deportation, detention, and who gets to stay in the country.