Top Latina advocates decry Trump’s ‘not people’ comments

A coalition of Latino-led advocacy, labor and civil rights groups condemns former President Trump’s escalating rhetoric against immigrants, saying words like his incite hate crimes. claims.

In a joint statement Wednesday, leaders of Latinx countries sought to shake off the normalization of the language that has become part of mainstream political discourse over the past decade, largely thanks to President Trump’s political success. I tried.

“President Trump’s continued use of language that belittles the humanity of immigrants is a threat to the heart of our democracy and our nation. It’s the same rhetoric he used when he summoned a violent mob and recklessly directed it to attack the U.S. Capitol,” said Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America’s Voice, a progressive immigration policy group.

“It’s also the same dehumanization of immigrants that has led to domestic terrorist attacks like the mass murders at a Walmart in El Paso, a grocery store in Buffalo, and a synagogue in Pittsburgh.” We cannot become insensitive to the fact that we rely on taking away people’s rights and call for violence as the basis of our campaign.”

Cárdenas was joined by figures from Latino political leaders, including Community Change Action co-chair Lorela Praeli. Bruna Solrod, Senior Political Director of United We Dream Action. Kika Matos, Chair of the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund. Maria Teresa Kumar, Voto Latino President and CEO. Rocio Saenz Executive Vice President, Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The six Latinas were joined by Lindsey Schubiner, program director for Western States Strategies, the political arm of the anti-hate nonprofit Western States Center.

Seven women released a joint statement in response to President Trump’s speech over the weekend. While talking about his auto industry, President Trump claimed that if he is not elected, he will be “a bloodbath for the country.”

President Trump also repeated false claims that some countries in the Western Hemisphere are emptying prisons and psychiatric hospitals and sending ex-convicts onto immigration paths.

“I don’t know if I would call them ‘the people’ in some cases,” Trump said in Ohio. “In my opinion, they are not human.”

He also called some immigrants “animals.”

“Trump’s abhorrent and inhumane language toward immigrants is a clear foreshadowing of what we can expect if he returns to office,” Matos said. This is barbaric treatment.”

The Trump campaign is not denying the former president’s intent to dehumanize certain categories of immigrants; it is doubling down on that intent.

“President Trump was referring to violent illegal criminals, savage murderers like the man who brutally massacred Laken Riley, and MS-13 gang members. And most Americans are I think you would agree that a ferocious monster doesn’t deserve to be humanized,” said Trump campaign communications director Stephen Chan. he told The Hill in an email.

Inspired by President Trump, Republicans have used Riley’s murder as a political banner, using the individual’s crimes to indict a wide range of immigrants.

President Trump challenges societal norms around immigration rhetoric that has already become a core part of his political career as border security emerges as President Biden’s most obvious political responsibility The desire to do so is increasing.

“Joe Biden cares more about criminal illegal immigrants than he cares about the American people, and would rather apologize for calling them illegal immigrants than apologize to Americans for the damage they do to our country. It’s scary what you’re spending so much time on,” Chan wrote.

“Biden is allowing illegal aliens to enter the border, using the tax dollars of hard-working Americans to fly them around the country, and then releasing them from custody after they commit more crimes. We will secure our southern border and deport illegal criminals to protect Americans.”

According to the seven women, it’s those words, riddled with claims taken out of context and sometimes outright lies, that are exactly what matter.

“Inhumane and violent rhetoric is extremely dangerous to our communities, from El Paso to Pittsburgh to Buffalo, and to our democracy,” Schubiner said. He mentioned three mass murders based on prejudice.

“Mr. Trump has led the way in normalizing bigotry and violence in our nation’s politics, and each of our nation’s leaders has a responsibility to speak out and push back. Mr. Trump’s words are a threat to immigrant communities. It is also a threat to the electoral process. We must take him at his word and take action to ensure his vision does not become a reality.”

The advocacy group has significant influence in the Latino community, including one that could have a decisive impact in November.

“Many of our members are immigrants and work in all sectors of the economy. They are essential custodians who clean the buildings we work in and care for us when we are sick. and home care workers who help elderly loved ones and people with disabilities,” Saenz said. SEIU is a key component of voter mobilization efforts in battleground states like Nevada.

“Come November, hard-working Americans — black, brown, white, and immigrant — will move their union demands for good jobs from the 2024 strike line to the ballot box, and Trump and MAGA Republicans will The last word on who they consider to be “the people”. We will use our anger and frustration to elect leaders who will create real change and keep all families safe. ”

President Trump’s opponents are as outraged by his immigration comments as are his most ardent supporters.

Democratic political strategists will amplify the danger behind President Trump’s message (if not the message itself) to energize voters ahead of an election between two unpopular candidates. It is said that

“A second term will embolden MAGA rights and continue to intimidate immigrants and immigration beyond what we experienced in our first term,” Praeli said.

“The only way to stop fear-mongering is to go to the polls and choose the direction this country takes. Multiracial democracy is possible, and it is our responsibility to build it.”

Solod, who runs the country’s largest immigrant-led youth organization, said a second Trump presidency would put multiracial democracy at risk.

“We cannot afford to lose this country and ourselves to this white supremacist gambit, and the racism and inhumanity that our loved ones are experiencing in places like Texas and Florida. Nor can we normalize surveillance, racial profiling, harassment, and detention,” Solod said. .

“We call on all people and elected officials across the country to reject dangerous white supremacist positions that pose an existential threat to the lives of immigrants, black and brown people in this country. .”

And Kumar, whose organization is a powerhouse in Latino politics, pointed to President Trump’s comments on immigration as a liability to a broad swath of voters.

“Americans clearly see his threat. That’s why we collectively defeated him at the ballot box. We rejected his fear-mongering, anger, and chaos. We’ll do it again. A former president who has been impeached twice and indicted four times has no future in multicultural America,” Kumar said.