‘He Used Us as Props’: Conservative Hispanics Deplore Donald Trump’s Speech
By ALAN RAPPEPORTSEPT. 1, 2016
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Donald J. Trump in Phoenix on Wednesday. Hopes that he was softening his immigration policy faded after his fiery speech. Credit Travis Dove for The New York Times
Donald J. Trump faced a backlash on Thursday from some of his top conservative Hispanic supporters, who said their hopes that he was softening his immigration policy had been dashed by his fiery speech Wednesday night, which they said was anti-immigrant.
Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, had shown signs in recent weeks that he was prepared to take a more conciliatory approach to immigrants who had entered the country illegally, dropping talk of a deportation force and instead speaking of treating those immigrants in a fair and humane fashion.
Less than two weeks ago, he held a meeting with his Hispanic advisory council in Trump Tower, leaving attendees with the impression that he was working on a new plan that included a path to citizenship.
That impression faded in Phoenix on Wednesday night.
“There was so much hope,” said Jacob Monty, a member of the Hispanic advisory council who was at the meeting with Mr. Trump. “He used us as props.”
Mr. Monty, a longtime Republican, said that Mr. Trump had appeared humble during the meeting, listened to their proposals, acknowledged the difficulty of deporting 11 million unauthorized immigrants and suggested that he was working on a new policy that included a path to legalization. Mr. Monty resigned from the council after Mr. Trump’s speech.
“That was not a Republican speech, that was populist propaganda,” Mr. Monty said. “He must listen to whoever speaks to him last.”
Ramiro Pena, a pastor from Texas who was on Mr. Trump’s advisory council, also abandoned the campaign. According to an email to the Trump campaign, obtained by Politico, Mr. Pena, who could not be reached for comment, said the group that Mr. Trump had formed was a “scam.”
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Other conservative Hispanic leaders were also disappointed.
Alfonso Aguilar, director of the American Principles Project’s Latino Partnership, who backed Mr. Trump and offered advice on immigration policy to his campaign, withdrew his support on Thursday morning. Mr. Aguilar said that he and other conservative Hispanic leaders had gotten behind Mr. Trump because they thought he would be able to work with Congress to get something done on immigration reform.
“A couple of weeks ago, it sounded as if there was going to be a pivot,” said Mr. Aguilar, who predicted that other Republican Latinos would soon renounce their support for Mr. Trump. “If you heard the speech last night, it was either self-deport or be deported.”
Some advisers who expressed concern said they still planned to stick with Mr. Trump, hopeful that their input might make a difference in the future.
Alberto Delgado, a Florida pastor who was at the meeting with Mr. Trump, was aware of his plans to build a wall and remove criminals who are in the country illegally. But he was disappointed to hear that all unauthorized immigrants would have to leave the country and go through an application process to return.
“That gets me a little bit,” said Mr. Delgado, who had been expecting to hear about a quick administrative fix that would keep families together. “If you apply, you don’t always get what you apply for.”
Still, Mr. Delgado said that he was not ready to quit the advisory group.
Mr. Trump has been trying to improve his Hispanic outreach efforts as he continues to lag behind Hillary Clinton in most national and state polls. Recently, he adjusted his pitch to minority voters to argue that his plans to restore law and order would be in their best interests and that Democrats were taking them for granted.
The Trump campaign shrugged off dissension among conservative Hispanics on Thursday.
“Mr. Trump has been consistent in advocating for an end to illegal immigration, and he will continue to reach out and work with voters from all communities to defeat crooked Hillary Clinton this fall,” said Jason Miller, a spokesman for the campaign.
Mr. Trump continued to talk tough on immigration on Thursday at a midday rally in Wilmington, Ohio.
“Last night I outlined a bold new immigration reform to create prosperity and opportunity for all of our people, especially those who have the least,” he told the crowd. “We will treat everyone with dignity, respect and compassion, but our greatest compassion will be for the American citizen.”
Graphic
A Look at Trump’s Immigration Plan, Then and Now
Here’s a look at how the Republican candidate’s positions on immigration have changed, or remained the same, throughout the campaign.
Some of Mr. Trump’s most ardent conservative backers, such as the commentators Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, had expressed concern last week that Mr. Trump was preparing to reverse himself on immigration. Ms. Coulter’s fears were assuaged by the speech, which she called “the most magnificent” ever given.
Mr. Trump, for his part, continued to spar with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico over who would pay for a border wall, vowing on Twitter that Mexico would bear the cost.
Mr. Peña Nieto fired back in a Twitter post of his own to say that, as they had discussed in person, his country would do no such thing.
For Hispanic leaders who have been critical of Mr. Trump, his speech in Arizona was more evidence that he has not changed and most likely will not.
Javier Palomarez, president of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said that Mr. Trump had proven to be a “clown” and that it was a sad moment for the Republican Party.
“I think he’s done for with the Hispanic community,” Mr. Palomarez told MSNBC on Thursday. “He’s never going to see the White House if he doesn’t get a significant portion of the Hispanic vote.”
Democrats sought to press their advantage with Hispanics on Thursday, describing Mr. Trump’s remarks as offensive and racist.
“This was a dark and disturbing speech,” Senator Tim Kaine, Mrs. Clinton’s running mate, said on CBS. “This is the kind of anti-immigrant language that’s always had a tiny fringe support in this country, but it was a speech that’s not worthy of a president.”
Above is from: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/02/us/politics/gop-hispanic-reaction-trump.html?_r=0
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Yesterday at 12:01am ·
I gave Donald TRUMP a Plan that would improve border security , remove hardened criminal aliens and most importantly give work authority to the millions of honest, hardworking immigrants in the US. He rejected that tonight and so I must reject him. He was moving toward a resonable, pro business and compasionate immigration plan. Tonight he was not a Republican but a populist ,modern day Father Coughlin who demonized immigrants .
He must want to lose. He can do that without me. Jacob MONTILIJO Monty
From: https://www.facebook.com/jacob.m.monty/posts/10207998450214951
