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Sports commentator Stephen A Smith blasts the concept of sanctuary cities

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Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith questioned the concept of sanctuary cities Thursday night, pushing the idea that local leaders could decide their own cities could defy federal law.

Many local liberal leaders in states across the country have publicly announced plans to resist ICE efforts to deport illegal immigrants; This is one of the key agenda items that President Donald Trump was elected to accomplish.

Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is among the leaders who told federal immigration officials Wednesday to “get the hell out of town” after a woman was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer.

When a caller from California said he was angry at Frey’s statement, Smith said he understood where he was coming from, but noted that it was part of a larger problem nationwide.

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks at a news conference at City Hall on December 2, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following reports that the Trump administration will target Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities. (Leila Navidi/Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)

“Listen, it’s not just that, it’s the people in the sanctuary cities as well,” Smith said. “They’re not going to facilitate cooperation with federal law enforcement when it comes to ICE. So their stance is, ‘We’re not going to follow those laws. We have our own laws when it comes to immigrants coming into our country. We’re not going to listen to that.'”

Smith marveled at the idea that this was allowed.

“I don’t understand how sanctuary cities are allowed in this country. I don’t understand. If there are federal laws that say, ‘You know what, you can’t cross the border illegally,’ there shouldn’t be sanctuary cities that say, ‘Yes, you can,'” he said. “It shouldn’t be. I mean, one way or another, pick one. Either you can or you can’t. But the federal government shouldn’t be saying no, but you’re saying yes. So you’re usurping the authority of the federal government, and we still call ourselves ‘the nation of laws’. But what laws? It makes no sense!”

The caller noted that he lives in Los Angeles and that it became a holy city in 2016. decided by local authoritiesnot in a vote by ordinary people, saying that this decision was “nonsense”.

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Host Stephen A. Smith chats with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during the SiriusXM Town Hall event at SiriusXM Studio in Washington, D.C. on November 19, 2025 (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

“Yeah, I don’t blame you for feeling that way,” Smith said. “Because the American people should have a chance to vote on this. You’re absolutely right! I didn’t even know that was the case until you told me, Andy!”

“Understand?” he appeared to be saying to the audience. “How about you, a sanctuary city. Just declaring yourself a sanctuary city, but the citizens in the city didn’t even vote for it? That doesn’t look like the American way! I’m telling you, we have problems in this country! We have to make a decision about what kind of country we want to move forward with. Seriously, because that’s bad!”

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