In an open letter released on Thursday addressed to Latino voters, celebrities including America Ferrera, Zoe Saldana, and Aubrey Plaza decried the discriminatory policies paraded around by the GOP candidates in this year’s election cycle.
Published in both English and Spanish, it leaves no candidate’s prejudice untouched:
Of course, this downward spiral began with Trump. From accusing Mexicans of being rapists to kicking Jorge Ramos out of his press conference, Trump has spent the entirety of his presidential bid stoking unfounded anti-immigrant fears and deeply offending our communities.
We must not, though, let Trump’s xenophobia overshadow the extreme policies being pushed by every single one of the GOP’s leading presidential candidates. Latinos should understand that Donald Trump embodies the true face of the entire Republican Party. Sadly, he speaks for the GOP’s anti-immigrant, anti-Latino agenda.
Candidates – including supposed “moderates” like Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio – used dangerous, divisive rhetoric and proposed harmful policies in their efforts to win over Trump’s radical supporters. Jeb Bush’s unapologetic use of the term “anchor babies” aligns with his belief that undocumented immigrants here in the U.S. should not have a path to citizenship. His statement that “we should not have a multicultural society” is indefensible. Marco Rubio said that “we must secure our border, the physical border, with a wall, absolutely.” He’s ruled out any path to citizenship or legal status during his term(s) as president if elected. Chris Christie suggested that immigrants should be tracked like FedEx packages.
That’s right GOP candidates—when you speak, people are listening! Especially the people you want to implement racist strategies against. There’s no love lost between any of these celebrities and the entirety of the Republican Party, and honestly, can you fucking blame them? How many future Celebrity Apprentices will we miss out on because of Trump’s campaign??? Ugh.
It seems implausible to the current crop of GOP candidates that loving America and having an inclusive, humane immigration policy could be mutually exclusive, and based on Tuesday’s results, it looks like they’re probably not going to change their minds any time soon. Still, Carlos Santana, the only reason why your dad owns a beret, hasn’t given up hope yet:
“To Donald Trump and the Republican candidates Spirit requires integration and total acceptance of everyone on this blessed planet. I invite you to utilize your power of wealth, to restore, amend and heal your relationship with all your sisters and brothers! It’s never too late to graduate from the university of fear! I believe in you! Your light can make a difference on our great nation-when the power of love replaces the love for power. Divinity is who you really are ... LIGHT. Peace to you, your families and all your immigrant employees.”
Image via Getty.