They were the Mexicans of the 1800's -- despised, picked on, abused, and scapegoated. Part of the reason they caught such grief was because they were Catholic, and recent immigrants. Sound familiar? It should. Americans are known for making history, and just as well-known for not learning from it. But when I wrote this very thing in a column, some of my Irish-American readers were furious at the comparison to Mexican immigrants. After all, they said, Mexicans come illegally and the Irish came legally. Well, yes and no -- on both counts. 

Navarrette Nation

St Patrick's Day Gives Us A Chance to Honor Irish, The Original Bad Hombres

It's a terrible story of loss, death and heartache. And it all could have been avoided if a few gung-ho Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents hadn't made a mistake and chased the wrong person -- and his wife -- to their death. Dead are 35-year-old Santo Hilario Garcia and 33-year-old Marcelina Garcia Profecto, a pair of farm workers who -- at 6 am -- were on their way to work, to do jobs that Americans won't do at any price. ICE agents chased them because they mistook Santo for a fugitive they were hunting. Now six kids don't have parents. A lot of people say the immigration system is broken. They have no idea how right they are. My God! What has become of us? 

Heartbreaking Central CA Immigrant Tragedy Leaves Six Children Orphaned

Hillary Clinton won't go away, and she won't shut up. She's done it again, and angered many of her own Democratic voters by saying something incredibly stupid and sexist. At a conference in India over the weekend, she said that she lost to Donald Trump because women took their orders from the men in their lives -- husband, son, father, boyfriend, handyman etc. What? It's hard to come up with a sentiment that is more backward and anti-feminist. This from the pioneer who was going to break the glass ceiling. It sounds more like someone is having a breakdown. We dodged a bullet by making sure that Hillary didn't get close to the White House -- again. 

Anti-Feminist Hillary Clinton is Stuck in the 1950's

Rex Tillerson found out that President Trump had fired him as Secretary of State (and replaced him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo) the same way that the rest of the world did: Via Twitter. That's bad form. You don't treat people that way, especially when they've been loyal to you. Trump is loyal to no one, and it breeds chaos. You can't lead or push your agenda without continuity. Like the owner of a baseball team that keeps replacing managers to feed his ego, Trump seems desperate to advance a narrative that he alone is the one indispensable part of this administration. Everyone else is on probation. It's no way to run a railroad. 

Sec of State Rex Tillerson Is Out. Now What?

Like cops, journos hate being lied to. So we should be especially careful about sticking our neck out and putting our trust in politicians, who lie with ease. We could wind up getting our heads chopped off. So imagine my disappointment now that President Trump has hedged on what seemed to be his expressed support for raising the minimum age to buy a rifle from 18 to 21. The good news is that the White House, in its official gun & school safety plan, did leave in the parts about circumventing due process to seize guns in an emergency and outlawing bump-stocks. So it's half a loaf. But it's also a reminder that, in politics, character and trust is everything. 

Trump Hurts Credibility By Doing Half Flip on Guns

Ever get the sense that the whole world has changed? Well, it has. And it's all because North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un -- a rogue dictator with nuclear weapons and the power to start World War III -- has reportedly said that he wants to meet with President Trump and that he will stop testing his nuclear weapons, and possibly even move toward denuclearization. A de-nuk'ed North Korea? Who would have imagined such a thing just six or seven months ago when Kim and Trump were trash-talking each other something fierce. Lots of questions. Like this one: How much credit does Trump get for these developments? Answer: A lot. 

Trump Changes the World By Breaking North Korea

Things have gotten surreal in California. Attorney General Jeff Sessions came a calling yesterday with a lawsuit against the Golden State for alleged obstruction of justice and violation of federal immigration law because of California's fabled "sanctuary" policies limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents. First, those policies are themselves a mirage; it's business as usual in CA where immigration agents still arrest and apprehend people because of loopholes built into the legislation. But also, this whole idea of a lawsuit accusing a state of going rogue is crazy -- especially because it's being filed by people who have previously applauded such behavior when it comes from Republicans. See Arizona, 2010.

CA Sued By Trump Administration Over Phony "Sanctuary" Policy

I'm a bit torn on the Trump tariffs -- 25% on imported steel, 10% on imported aluminum. The idea is terrible, provocative, and counter-productive. But at least it comes from a good place. President Trump obviously wants to help struggling working-class Americans in those Rust Belt states once known for manufacturing -- OH, PA, WI, MI. These states all went for Trump in 2016, and this is payback. But it's also something a bit more noble. These people do deserve a voice. Trump has the right idea, but -- with tariffs -- the wrong policy. His heart is in a good place, but who knows where his head is. 

Tariff Debate Example of Good Intentions Causing Bad Policy

The "DACA deadline" came and went yesterday. March 5 was supposed to be the day that the 800,000 undocumented young people who turned themselves in to federal authorities in exchange for a two-year deferment from deportation and a work permit were deportable. It didn't happen because the federal courts came to the rescue by saying that current enrollees could renew their status. But how did we get here? Was DACA -- which was repealed last year by President Trump -- even worth preserving in the first place? And what's the real solution?

DACA Expires, Crisis Continues

Well, this is an example of efficient pairing. Last week, in what appeared to be separate occurrences, President Trump hosted a summit on the opioid crisis and launched a trade war by announcing that steel & aluminum tariffs are on the way. This week, Trump brought those two things together by offering to lift the tariffs against NAFTA partners Canada and Mexico if they come up with a better deal and if Mexico does more to stop drugs flowing into the United States. Huh? Here's how Trump connected the dots -- and why he shouldn't have attempted it. 

How Trump Linked Together Opioids & Tariffs

It's on! And it's ugly. It is a trade war -- the first salvo of which was launched this week by President Trump when he announced tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum in order to protect US manufacturers. This did not go over well with the four countries that together represent 50% of our steel imports, all allies: Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and South Korea. Nor did it go over well with the European Union, which is now threatening to retaliate. Just another day at the office in the chaotic Trump White House. Tariffs are terrible. Here's why. 

Trump's War on Foreign Steel Likely to Backfire

President Trump hit a home-run this week by holding a televised WH meeting with lawmakers on guns. Trump came off as reasonable and full of common sense. Some lawmakers, not so much. Trump wants to end bump- stocks, raise the legal age to buy a rifle from 18 to 21, and tighten background checks. And he says he'll fight the NRA if he has to, because they have no power over him. Gotta love this guy. I always knew this Manhattan Democrat was a moderate on guns, but the recent spate of school shootings seems to have really steeled his spine on the gun issue. Good for him. Hope he doesn't bend. Congress belongs to the special interests. The President has to defend the interests of the people.

Trump Shows Courage and Common Sense at WH Meeting on Guns

Donald Trump promised to turn official Washington upside down -- you know, drain the swamp and all that. And he's done that, to a degree. This is good. But what no one could have predicted was how effective he'd be at disrupting his own administration, White House and family. This is not so good. You can't push through a legislative agenda or make necessary changes in the executive branch when you're own sandbox is in total disarray. That's where we are now -- as Trump himself goes after AG Jeff Sessions, and WH Chief of Staff John Kelly sidelines first son-in-law Jared Kushner. Buckle up, folks. It's going to get bumpy.

Donald Trump Disrupted Washington -- But Also His Own Administration, Executive Branch, White House, West Wing & Family

When the delegates to the California Democratic Party convention refused to endorse the candidacy of veteran Democrat -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, many speculated that the reason had to do with either Feinstein's advanced age or her moderate stance on some issues. Wrong on both counts. What the delegates were saying was that -- in these dynamic and perilous times -- underachievers need not apply. Feinstein has been a failure, and doesn't have much to show for her 25 years in the Senate. This should be her last race. That message was loud and clear. 

How Sen. Dianne Feinstein Lost The Support of Her Own Party

In the aftermath of the Parkland FL school shooting, the gun debate is in full swing. And it's a complete mess. Liberals are shouting down the NRA and targeting guns. Conservatives are shouting down Trump critics and twisting the meaning of the 2nd Amendment. No one is listening to one another. And the schools aren't getting any safer. We have an opportunity to rescue progress from tragedy. And we're blowing it. 

The Gun Debate Misfires With Its Nonsense

Hosted by an independent-minded old school journo and belligerent centrist who tells the truth and isn't afraid to offend both sides, this 10-13 min daily podcast explains and analyzes the issues of the day from a different perspective. Because it emanates from San Diego -- a safe distance of more than 3,000 miles away from the "talk way" (the chatter corridor that connects New York and Washington -- it's not blinded by politics and partisanship. It's fair, but it's also tough. It doesn't set out to persuade you or convert you, only to make you think. 

hubhopper

Navarrette Nation

hubhopper