Donald Trump in Texas: Hispanics will 'love me' as president

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump speaks after arriving at the airport for a visit to the U.S. Mexico border in Laredo, Texas, Thursday, July 23, 2015. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump speaks after arriving at the airport for a visit to the U.S. Mexico border in Laredo, Texas, Thursday, July 23, 2015. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Photo: LM Otero, Associated Press Photo: LM Otero, Associated Press Image 1 of / 51 Caption Close Donald Trump in Texas: Hispanics will 'love me' as president 1 / 51 Back to Gallery

LAREDO –Speaking on the border, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told reporters he thinks he'll win the Hispanic vote.

"I'll take jobs back from China, I'll take jobs back from Japan and all these other countries that are killing us, and the Hispanics are going to get those jobs and they're going to love me," said Trump, kicking off his campaign stop on the Texas-Mexico border.

When asked about how he'd address the millions of people in the U.S. illegally, Trump would only say he's focused on securing the border first.

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Earlier in the day, the branch of the Border Patrol union that initially invited the New York businessman backed out of hosting Trump, who has irked both Democrats and Republicans with comments on Mexican immigrants.

In response, a spokesman for Trump said he would still make the trip "despite the great danger" and that the Laredo chapter of the National Border Patrol Council was "totally silenced directly from superiors in Washington who do not want people to know how bad it is on the border."

"As Local 2455, our intentions to meet with Mr. Trump was to provide a 'Boots on the Ground' perspective to not only Mr. Trump, but to the media that would be in attendance at this event," Hector Garza, the Laredo union's president, said in a statement posted online. "Just to be clear, an endorsement was never discussed for any presidential candidate. Local 2455 does not endorse candidates for any political office."

A representative for national Border Patrol union said Wednesday that he couldn't comment because Trump's tour was arranged entirely by the Laredo local.

Protesters from League of United Latin American Citizens chapters across Texas gathered at the Laredo airport to protest Trump's arrival. A Laredo immigration attorney said Trump's comments about Mexican immigrants were racist and misinformed.

"I have represented many illegal immigrants who broke their backs working for us," she said.

There were Trump supporters as well.

"We're here because we don't jump on the bandwagon," said Laredoan Karina Villalba. "A lot of his statements are true. A lot of illegal immigrants are criminals."

RELATED: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to visit Texas-Mexico border

Fellow GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry blasted Trump's campaign stop on Thursday morning in a statement.

"I hope he will explain to the Hispanic Americans he meets why he thinks they are rapists and murderers," the former Texas governor said. "It’s going to take more than a day trip for him to convince the American people he is anything but a hypocrite when it comes to border security."

A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's presidential campaign said the Texas senator was invited, but stayed in Washington for a vote against funding for Planned Parenthood and to oppose an attempt to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank.

On Wednesday, Laredo defense attorney David Almaraz wondered why federal agents were inviting Trump to visit the largely Hispanic border city after he was criticized for making remarks against Mexican immigrants.

"By bringing him down here, you're saying you support him and support his vitriol," Almaraz said.

Last month, a Chicago nonprofit that says it fights racism issued a report accusing unions representing Department of Homeland Security employees of colluding with anti-immigrant groups. The unions denied the allegations.

jbuch@express-news.net

Twitter: @jlbuch



