Today is Cinco de Mayo—a day when America orders nachos, sips tequila, and shouts “¡Salud!” in the name of Mexican pride. There’s nothing wrong with celebration. But what exactly are we celebrating?
Because while restaurants sling margaritas and marketers wrap themselves in green, white, and red, this same country is deporting people—many of them of Mexican heritage—without due process.
Let’s be clear: Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day.
It’s about a ragtag Mexican force kicking the stuffing out of the French at the Battle of Puebla. A stand-your-ground story. A middle finger to imperialism.
And yet here we are—America waving the Mexican flag with one hand, while handing out expedited removal orders with the other.
Under Donald Trump’s return to power, immigration enforcement has escalated once again. His administration expanded the reach of expedited deportations, allowing federal agents to bypass immigration courts entirely and remove people—sometimes even U.S.-born citizens—without a hearing. His message to the president of El Salvador said it all:
“Homegrown are next,” he said.
So while you’re sipping that third drink at your local cantina, know this:
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Homeland Security agents recently showed up at two Los Angeles schools, looking for five children—no warrants, no court orders, just fear.
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A third-grader was arrested in Sackets Harbor, New York—the hometown of Trump’s former border czar, Thomas Homan.
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And the government is making it personal—targeting children, schools, and entire communities.
That’s not resistance. That’s repression.
And no amount of guacamole is going to cover that up.
Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of standing your ground.
Maybe this year, instead of just raising a glass, we should raise our voices.
Because you can’t celebrate Mexican resilience while deporting Mexicans.
Happy Cinco de Hypocrisy.