Ruben Navarette is a second generation Mexican-American who emphasizes that hyphen. He has built a very successful career as a syndicated columnist, broadcaster, frequent speaker on college campuses, and self-anointed defender of Latinos ― especially on immigration issues. He regards open borders as a human right (at least for his fellow Latinos) although this is clearly not a legal right recognized under U.S. or International law.  Open borders deny our country its overriding rights of sovereignty and the defense of its borders, as enforced by every country in the world.

In a recent column, Ruben exploded in a flurry of alleged American injustices and contradictions, way too many for me to refute in this space.  Dealing with just the worst ones, Ruben’s entitled to his own opinions, but he’s not entitled to his own facts or illogical statements.  He has a habit of conveniently omitting the word “illegal” when it’s an essential distinction in addressing an immigration argument. This isn’t accidental, it’s his device to confuse the issue.

Ruben writes: “We insist that immigrants speak English, but companies market to them in Spanish.”

That’s a fallacy followed by a non sequitur (an illogical conclusion that doesn’t follow from the premise).  “We” don’t generally insist that immigrants speak English.  And companies market to them in Spanish because they’re a sizeable consumer group and it’s good for business.  Mass marketing in Arabic wouldn’t make sense.  And plenty of our institutions accommodate those who don’t speak English, such as public schools with bilingual classrooms and state and city governments that print ballots in Spanish.

Ruben writes: “Immigrants are depicted as violent criminals, and yet Americans welcome them into their homes as housekeepers and nannies.”

This is really a whopper.  Of course, not all legal or even illegal immigrants are violent criminals.  And Americans don’t knowingly invite criminals into their homes. Housekeepers and nannies tend to be women who are not likely to be rapists.  We already have enough of our own native-born career criminals in this country.  We don’t need to import any more.

Ruben writes: “Restrictionists claim that immigrants use social services like welfare, but they arrest them while laboring at worksites.”

Another non sequitur.  This is two entirely different things.  Many immigrants (including naturalized US citizens) justifiably use social services.  In sanctuary cities, illegal immigrants use them unjustifiably, such as free public education for their children, food, housing and health care.  But they’re not arrested for that.  Those who are arrested “while laboring at their worksites” (or anywhere else) are here illegally or have committed crimes.  And contra Ruben, they’re not arrested by “Restrictionists,” they’re arrested by legal authorities.

Ruben regards “Restrictionists” as those who oppose open borders, illegal and unlimited immigration, and who encourage immigrants to assimilate by adopting our creed, culture, ideals and system of government, not just to cash in our welfare state. That’s why becoming a citizen requires passing a citizenship test and taking the U.S. Naturalization Oath of Allegiance renouncing prior allegiances and pledging loyalty to the Constitution and laws of the United States.

The opposite of assimilation is tribalism as practiced by anti-American politicians like Congresswomen Rachida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, whose first loyalty is not to America but to some other country and its culture.  U.S immigration policy has historically balanced immigration among nations, not admitting a flood from any single nation or ethnicity.

Ruben writes: “Entitled White Americans ― tired of feeling displaced and marginalized by things like affirmative action, DEI and multiculturalism ― resolved that what this country needed was a good bleaching. We have to Make America White Again, even if it has to happen by force.”

Wow!  I’m speechless.  This tirade speaks for itself.  Ruben’s Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) appears to have morphed into paranoid anti-white racism ― or was it always there?

Finally, Ruben concocted an absurd example of alleged American xenophobia (irrational fear or hatred of foreigners) and hypocrisy by contrasting Americans who are “cheering the brutal arrests and forced removal” of illegal and criminal immigrant aliens with fans in L.A who cheered the Japanese superstars that led the Dodgers to the MLB World Championship.

Huh?  Whatever “brutality” takes place in these arrests is caused by the violent mobs attacking and impeding ICE officers and police doing their duty.  And all those Japanese baseball players were here legally as is the multitude of foreign players and superstars in American professional and college sports who are cheered on by fans of all races, colors and ethnicities, including many wearing MAGA hats.

Longtime KOA radio talk host and columnist for the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News Mike Rosen now writes for Complete Colorado.