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NBC is facing an intense backlash as more than 18,000 Americans have signed a petition demanding that the network dump Donald Trump as the host of the November 7 episode of Saturday Night Live.

The petition states:

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By inviting Donald Trump to host Saturday Night Live, NBC is demonstrating that it doesn’t care about its Latino and pro-immigrant viewers. It is providing a platform for Trump’s insulting attacks on immigrants and calling it entertainment — something we do not find funny.

It is shameful for NBC to allow Donald Trump to host Saturday Night Live, a comedy show, when one of the main policies he has promised would rip apart millions of immigrant and Latino families.

NBC cannot bill hateful rhetoric as comedy, much less entertainment.

Juan Escalante, Digital Campaigns Manager at America’s Voice said, “After early support for the immigrant community, NBC is showing their true colors here. Donald Trump is running one of the most hateful and offensive campaigns in recent history and the fact that the network has decided to give him a megaphone is shameful and disappointing. This is a stark departure from the ‘dignity and respect’ they demanded from Trump in June and a slap in the face for the Latino and immigrant community.”

Added Alejandro Chavez, MoveOn National Field Campaign Organizer, “It is appalling to see NBC and ‘Saturday Night Live’ give essentially free campaign ad time to a candidate intent on spewing anti-immigrant hate. We are proud to stand with our allies at America’s Voice and our Latino and immigrant, documented and undocumented, brother and sister, and demand that NBC does the right thing, again, and dumps Trump — this time for good.”

It is ridiculous that NBC thinks that they can “cut ties” with Trump, and then bring him back for a shameless ratings grab on Saturday Night Live. Allowing a presidential candidate to host the show comes close to the line of violating campaign finance laws. If SNL has given Hillary Clinton a hosting slot, instead of a skit, Republicans would be demanding equal time.

NBC and SNL are going to allow Trump to deliver what amounts to a campaign ad wrapped around some comedy. Trump is running an entire presidential campaign that is centered around racism and hate. Both NBC and SNL are putting a cash grab ahead of doing the right thing.

You can tell NBC to dump Trump by signing the petition here.