Paula Pant, host of the “Afford Anything” podcast, responded to a now-viral post by Texas GOP nominee Bo French by addressing arguments commonly made against immigration.
French had posted a photo showing students celebrating the Texas Longhorns’ dramatic comeback victory over Ohio State. Many of the students pictured appeared to be of South Asian descent. French framed the image as evidence of “how many Americans have been replaced by foreigners” and said the situation was “far worse than any of us could imagine.”
Pant responded to the post, saying she would address anti-immigration arguments “with corresponding good faith and reason.”
Pant then addressed the argument that the United States “belongs to people of European descent, as they were the original founders.”
“The United States was formed as a nation of immigrants. This is our common thread,” Pant said. “Immigration is the one thing that unites nearly all of us — unless you are full-blooded Native American, you are the descendant of immigrants.”
She argued that immigration is “literally what makes us all Americans,” adding that “first-mover advantage does not cement a given right, or create an eternal, impermeable claim.”
Pant also pointed to the history of European immigration, noting that earlier immigrant groups, including Italians, Irish and Poles, were once portrayed by some Americans as being too different to be considered “true” Americans.
READ: Texas GOP nominee Bo French faces backlash over racist remarks targeting South Asians (September 15, 2026)
“Over time and through intermarriage, America became a melting pot,” she wrote. “This photo from the UT football game is a continuation of that history.”
Pant also addressed criticism related to diversity, equity and inclusion programs and arguments that South Asian immigrants take jobs or college places from other Americans.
“Oh, darling, we don’t need your DEI. We’ve never asked for it. We can compete on merit alone,” she wrote, pointing to the presence of South Asian leaders in major U.S. technology companies like Google, Microsoft, IBM and Palo Alto Networks.
Pant also argued that South Asians contribute to the U.S. economy as employers and investors, writing, “South Asians as an aggregate are net job creators. We are employers and investors.”
On claims that South Asian students are taking college spots from other Americans, Pant pointed to UT Austin’s residency requirements. The university reserves 90% of its spaces for Texas residents and 10% for out-of-state and international students, under Texas law.
Pant also responded to people asking why immigrants do not remain in their countries of origin and improve conditions there.
“Because America is the greatest country in the world,” Pant wrote, describing the U.S. as a place of freedom, opportunity and social mobility.
She also argued that many South Asian immigrants come to the U.S. legally and adapt to American society.
“We arrive legally. We don’t commit crime. We don’t complain,” Pant wrote. “We keep our head down, quietly obeying every expectation in order to gradually ascend into the upper-middle class.”
She added: “We understand that in order to become fully American, we must assimilate. And we do. This photo proves it.”
READ: DHS ‘Mr. Singh’ post denounced as racist, accused of putting Sikh Americans at risk (September 10, 2026)
Pant’s comments came amid backlash over French’s post, which has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn.
The response to Pant’s post also generated criticism from opponents of immigration. One commenter wrote, “Deporting you next.”
Sara Gonzales, a political commentator and host of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered” on Blaze TV, also weighed in on the controversy. In a Sept. 14 episode discussing French’s post, Gonzales argued that critics were ignoring what she described as changing demographics in Texas and framed immigration as part of a broader “calculated takeover.”
She also claimed in an X post that the people in the photograph were “spraying milk all over the place from a milk jar that should never been let in the stadium.” The post has now been deleted from the account.
Gonzales has also discussed H-1B immigration on her program extensively. Critics of Gonzales accused her of stereotyping Indian immigrants and escalating the situation with inflammatory language, while supporters argued she was raising concerns about possible misuse of visa programs and lack of oversight in certain business filings.