Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump engaged in a prolonged confrontation with the anchor of the US’ leading Spanish-language network during a press conference on Tuesday, first having the well-known news personality removed before allowing him back in.
Jorge Ramos, the Miami-based anchor for Univision, stood up and began to ask Trump about his immigration proposal, which includes ending automatic citizenship for infants born in the US to parents in the country illegally.
As Ramos began to speak, Trump interrupted him, saying he had not called on Ramos before repeatedly telling him to “sit down” and then saying, “Go back to Univision.”
Photo: AP
As one of Trump’s security detail approached Ramos, the Mexican-American anchor continued to speak, saying: “You cannot deport 11 million people.”
Ramos was referring to Trump’s proposal to deport all people in the US illegally before allowing some of them to return.
As he was taken from the room, Ramos said: “You cannot build a 1,900 mile [3,058km] wall,” — another proposal in Trump’s plan.
Moments later, Trump attempted to justify Ramos’ removal, saying: “He just stands up and starts screaming. Maybe he’s at fault also.”
The billionaire businessman’s immigration proposal has sparked intense debate among the Republican presidential hopefuls. Several candidates, including former Florida governor Jeb Bush, have called it “unrealistic,” and Wisconsin Governot Scott Walker bobbled his answer on whether he supports ending birthright citizenship.
Ramos was later allowed back into the news conference. Trump greeted him politely, although they quickly resumed their argument, interrupting each other during an extended back-and-forth.
“Your immigration plan, it is full of empty promises,” Ramos said. “You cannot deny citizenship to children born in this country.”
“Why do you say that?” Trump replied. “Some of the great legal scholars agree that’s not true.”
During the five-minute exchange, Ramos said that 40 percent of people in the US illegally enter through airports, not over the Mexican border.
“I don’t believe that. I don’t believe it,” Trump said.
Trump said he did not believe that a majority of immigrants in the US illegally were criminals, or in the country to commit crimes.
“Most of them are good people,” he said.
However, he described recent cases in which people had been killed by assailants later determined to be in the country illegally.
Finally, Trump reminded Ramos that he was suing Univision, which dropped Trump’s Miss Universe pageant after he described Mexican immigrants in the US illegally as “criminals” and “rapists.”
“Do you know how many Latinos work for me? Do you know how many Hispanics work for me?” Trump said. “Thousands. They love me.”
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