Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton slammed Donald Trump today over immigration in a passionate address to an influential Hispanic advocacy organization.
“I have just one word for Mr. Trump: Basta! Enough!” she said, referencing comments about Mexican immigrants from the Republican candidate’s announcement speech.
“It was appalling to hear Donald Trump describe immigrants as drug dealers, criminals and rapists,” she said to the National Council of La Raza. “When people and business everywhere rejected his hateful comments, did he apologize? No. He doubled down. It is shameful and no one should stand for it.”
American Federation of Teachers Endorses Hillary Clinton For President Hillary Clinton Attacks Scott Walker, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio in Economic Policy Speech Donald Trump Attends Arizona Event, Comments on 'El Chapo' EscapeShe continued to bash the rest of the Republican field for their reluctance to condemn the real estate mogul's comments.
“Why did it take weeks for most of you to speak out?” she asked. “You’re normally such a talkative bunch. Suddenly you have nothing to say!”
But Trump fired back on Tuesday morning, saying that Clinton was “knowingly putting out lies” about his positions on immigration. He said that his comments were aimed at the country of Mexico – not immigrants themselves.
“I am honored, however, that she is attacking me, instead of Jeb Bush,” he said in a statement. “Obviously she knows that Jeb is no longer her real competition. The last person she wants to face is Donald Trump.”
Still, Clinton singled out Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who was just minutes from announcing his own candidacy, for his positions on unions. Clinton also attacked former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on his comments last week that “people need to work longer hours.”
“He should tell that to the fruit farmers breaking their backs in Southern California. Or to the dish washers working their hands raw in the kitchens in Las Vegas,” she said. “They don’t need a lecture. They need a raise!”
Clinton said that she will fight for a “real path to citizenship,” while protecting President Obama’s executive action, and, if Congress doesn’t act, doing “everything possible under the law to go even further.”