On both sides of the border, life is unfair -- but what you make of it is up to you
Even if Salinas is allowed to stay, his life here will be hard. He'll be abused, overworked, cheated, preyed upon, discriminated against and taken advantage of at every turn. After all that, he'll be blamed for taking dirty and dangerous jobs that Americans thought were beneath them anyway.
His message to fellow guatemaltecos, which he relayed to Corchado: "Don't come. This is all one big lie."
I've heard variations of this sad story before, and so have you. I hear it from my fellow Americans, who live in the industrial Rust Belt states. I hear it from the working-class Trump voters when I visit Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin or Pennsylvania. I hear it from J.D. Vance, the bestselling author of "Hillbilly Elegy," a white person who got rich and famous by writing about other white people who fear they will never get rich and famous. I hear it from those who call into conservative talk-radio shows, and worry that their kids will not do as well financially as previous generations.
Most recently, I hear it from Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, the blue-collar avenger and now presidential candidate. Ryan says he has seen the American dream "slip through the fingers of many Americans" and blames the destruction of this country's middle class on "failed leadership and broken promises."
That again. One last time: No one promised anyone a darned thing. The only guarantee that life offers is uncertainty. It's how you deal with it that defines whether you beat the odds or get beaten up.
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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com. His daily podcast, "Navarrette Nation," is available through every podcast app.
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