When investigative journalist Peter Schweizer released his book “The Invisible Coup,” it quickly rose to the top of The New York Times bestseller list. The book presents a collection of conspiracy theories, using historical events and current trends to argue that the United States is experiencing an “invisible coup” that threatens its foundations.
Schweizer references the 1980 Mariel boatlift, during which about 175,000 Cuban refugees entered the U.S., as a potential act of infiltration orchestrated by Fidel Castro. He claims this event was part of a broader strategy to export individuals considered undesirable by the Cuban regime, thereby straining American social resources.
The author extends his argument to other countries, suggesting that Mexican officials harbor ambitions of reclaiming territory lost after the U.S.-Mexican War through immigration. However, Msgr. Richard Antall, who has worked closely with Mexican immigrants as a pastor, disputes this interpretation. He writes: “Most of the Mexican immigrants I’ve known come for a better life: often economic opportunities, yes, but also often because their relatives are here. They are loyal to Mexican identity and culture, but not on any mission for Anschluss. They like it here. Their children like it here even better, and would not be the foot soldiers of the kind of Reconquista that Mexican intellectuals might dream of.”
Schweizer also cites the presence of many Mexican consulates in U.S. cities as evidence for his theory. Antall counters that these consulates primarily serve immigrant populations and facilitate remittances vital to Mexico’s economy.
The book raises concerns about political manipulation involving immigrants and questions around easing citizenship requirements for electoral purposes. Antall acknowledges these points but adds: “Indeed, dumbing down the questions asked or skipping requirements because of partisan interests, especially in election years, is worrying.”
One chapter alleges that some Chinese parents use surrogacy in the U.S. so their children gain citizenship before being raised abroad—a group Schweizer calls the “Manchurian generation.” He suggests these children may later return to influence American society.
Schweizer also criticizes alliances between American liberals and international progressive movements and interprets Catholic organizations’ involvement in immigration services as potentially radical or subversive. Responding directly to these claims, Antall states: “Some workers at Catholic Charities might have radical and ideological beliefs, but the organization itself is not promoting open borders, nor is it involved in human trafficking, as some Catholic blogs have angrily (and falsely) charged.”
He further clarifies: “To accuse the bishops of participating in the ‘Invisible Coup’ because they gave service to people here legally is simply calumny and indefensible.”
While Schweizer ends his book with suggested reforms on immigration policy, he does not address how millions already living in America should be treated if mass deportation were pursued.
Antall highlights bipartisan legislative efforts such as the Dignity Act—an initiative proposing pathways to legal status under certain conditions—as an alternative approach deserving discussion within religious communities.
He notes logistical challenges posed by new federal spending on detention centers across America: “This promises a logistical nightmare for all involved… The disruption of homes and families would ensure an increase of… broken families… There is another way.”
Antall concludes by urging focus on practical solutions rather than divisive rhetoric: “Under the current administration, closing the border is a done deal. Now let’s work on the problem at hand. A best-selling book on that would be useful.”
