Kansas City, Missouri (CNN) In speeches to the largest Latino civil rights group in the United States, Democratic presidential hopefuls blasted Donald Trump for comments the businessman turned Republican presidential candidate made about Mexicans that have enraged Latinos across the country.

"I don't have to wait to become president to take a stand right here and right now against the divisive rhetoric that demonizes immigrants and their families," Hillary Clinton said on Monday, calling Trump's comments "appalling."

"He is talking about people you and I know isn't he," Clinton said to an applauding audience in Kansas City. "And 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."

Trump has used his nascent presidential campaign to focus on illegal immigration, particularly from Mexico. During his campaign announcement, Trump said that undocumented immigrants from Mexico were "murders" and "rapists."

Many Republicans have tried to distance themselves around from Trumps's comments, but Clinton and others Democrats contend that they didn't do it fast enough. In response, Democrats have tried to make Trump the symbol for all 15 Republicans running for president.

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