AP Photo U.S. Hispanic Chamber head: Trump was 'gracious'

Donald Trump, who has roiled the Republican presidential race with his inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants, has kicked off an outreach push for the Hispanic vote, meeting on Tuesday with the CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

He got high marks.


CEO Javier Palomarez said the meeting, which had been on the books for three weeks, went on for more than an hour and that Trump in private was different than he is in public. He called the real estate mogul "gracious" and "hospitable."

"What I found in the private dialogue ... was a very different Donald Trump than the one I've seen in the media," Palomarez told POLITICO. The CEO said that Trump spent more time listening than talking.

The meeting, which was held Tuesday morning at the request of Trump, was first reported by CNN. The USHCC represents 3.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses and has 200 local chapters.

“When it comes to immigration, we've repeatedly found ourselves in disagreement with Mr. Trump. His advisors stressed, however, that our disagreement was based on the media's mischaracterization of his stances,” USHCC said in a statement on Tuesday. “We wanted to hear Mr. Trump clearly articulate his views, away from the public spectacle, the media, and the debate floor.”

Trump’s remarks about illegal immigrants have been causing waves since he referred to them as “rapists” and “criminals” during his presidential announcement speech on June 16.

After that speech, the chamber announced it would not use Trump hotels for two upcoming conventions, a move that Palomarez estimated would cost the business tycoon millions, compared to if he had won their bids.

Palomarez said that most people were supportive of the meeting when they learned that it was just giving the GOP contender a platform to share his views, but some are still "a bit off-put."

His immigration policy — the only proposal the candidate has released so far — calls for the deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants, a wall along the southern border, and the end to birthright citizenship. It has caused presidential candidates to take hard stances on the issues, putting them on both sides of the line.

Palomarez said that the two discussed a range of issues including the economy, American competitiveness and immigration.

When asked if they addressed Trump's use of the derogatory term "anchor baby" to describe children of illegal immigrant parents who gain citizenship by being born in the U.S., Palomarez said, "To hear Donald tell it, he’s been mischaracterized, the media. The liberal media has been unfair to him."

Trump agreed to participate in a public Q&A with USHCC on Oct. 8, an opportunity they offer to all presidential candidates. So far, they've hosted Sens. Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders and former Gov. Martin O'Malley. Gov. John Kasich and former Gov. Jeb Bush also have plans to participate in the future, according to Palomarez.