Hispanic community leaders counter Trump’s arguments

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Campaign promises of sealed borders and intense deportation plans ignited cheers from supporters of Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, during a visit to Grand Rapids. His message did not sit well with Michigan’s Hispanic and Latino leaders.

“On day one, I will seal the border and we’ll begin the largest domestic deportation operation in the history of our country,” said the former president.

Trump touted the plans as part of an effort to combat an “invasion” of migrants at the southern border.

Tuesday’s campaign stop in Grand Rapids was more than two thousand miles away from the U.S. Mexico border, but the shooting death of 25-year-old Ruby Garcia in the city was the cornerstone of Trump’s speech. Police say she was found dead on the side of a city highway and was allegedly shot by her boyfriend, Brandon Ortiz-Vite. Ortiz-Vite was staying in the U.S. illegally.

“When she walked into a room, she lit up that room. I heard that from so many people, I spoke with some of her family,” said Trump during his stop.

Garcia’s sister, Mavi, says neither Donald Trump nor his campaign ever reached out to her immediate family, according to sister station Wood TV.

She was appalled to hear her sister’s story included in his campaign speech.

“Shocking. I kind of stopped watching it,” she said.

Trump’s speech is also sparking concerns with leaders in Michigan’s Hispanic community. Juan Marinez is with the Latino Leaders for the Enhancement of Advocacy and Development. He says the idea of mass deportation can be damaging for industries that rely on migrant labor from hospitality to agriculture.

“Southwest Michigan is doing pretty good economically. Will they look forward to crashing their farms, their greenhouses, their orchards, their blue blueberries?” said Marinez.

Marinez says amplifying fears about migrants from the podium of a presidential candidate also adds an extra layer of concern.

“It provides a license for people to take the law in their own hands.”

In a statement ahead of Tuesday’s campaign stop, Republican Floor Leader, State Rep. Bryan Posthumus says there needs to be a change in safe and secure immigration policies.

“Unfortunately, we have seen firsthand that even when our local authorities do everything right, tragedy can still strike when our borders fail due to weak leadership.”

In a follow-up question, Posthumus says the farmers he knows are not relying on illegal residents to successfully run operations.

“My belief is: we need to make coming into this country illegally substantially more difficult so that we can make coming here legally much easier,” said State Rep. Posthumus.

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