Formerly Supportive Hispanic Leaders Consider Pulling Trump Support

After GOP nominee Donald Trump’s severe speech on immigration Wednesday, in which he reiterated his prior policy of mass deportations, several previously-supportive Latino community leaders may be rethinking their endorsements, reports Politico.

Members of Trump’s own National Hispanic Advisory Council either immediately jumped ship or have stated they are thinking about it, after his rabidly anti-immigrant speech last night. Jacob Monty, a Texas attorney and one of the members of Trump’s council, resigned Thursday morning, and Remiro Pena, a pastor from Texas also on the Council, said he would reconsider his connections to the Trump team, calling it a “scam.”

Monty stated he was a “strong supporter of Donald Trump” when he thought immigration would be addressed “realistically and compassionately,” but could not continue to support him after the speech. Monty has also said he will no longer be raising money for Trump in Texas.

Pena sent an email to Republican leaders, including members of the Trump team, which Politico obtained.

“I am so sorry but I believe Mr. Trump lost the election tonight,” Pena wrote.

Alfonso Aguilar, president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, said he had not made a decision one way or another on his support of Trump, but was “inclined” to backtrack his endorsement. Aguilar had previously been critical of Trump but ultimately decided to support him.

“It’s so disappointing because we feel we took a chance, a very risky chance,” Aguilar said to Politico. “We decided to make a big U-turn to see if we could make him change. We thought we were moving in the right direction… we’re disappointed. We feel misled.”

Photo: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina on June 14, 2016.  REUTERS/Jonathan Drake