JORGE RAMOS (HOST): Donald Trump said this week in a memo that if he becomes president he will block all remittances that undocumented immigrants in the United States send to Mexico. The blockage would continue until Mexico pays up to $10 billion to build a wall between the two countries. The measure has been heavily criticized, including by Jorge Mario Cabrera, spokesperson for Fondo de Acción de CHIRLA. Jorge Mario, thanks for joining us today once more.
JORGE MARIO CABRERA: Thanks to you.
RAMOS: Thanks. Let's first take a look at what Donald Trump said exactly. In a memo he sent to The Washington Post he said the following: “It’s an easy decision for Mexico. Make a one-time payment of $5-10 billion to ensure that $24 billion continues to flow into their country year after year.” He said: “No alien may wire money outside of the United States unless the alien first provides a document establishing his lawful presence in the United States.” And finally, he concluded: “Even a small increase in visa fees would pay for the wall. This includes fees on border crossing cards, of which more than 1 million are issued a year.” In a few words, Jorge Mario, he wants to block remittances sent from Mexicans here to Mexico. Your reaction?
CABRERA: Well, the Fondo de Acción de CHIRLA has referred to these new plans as adding insult to injury towards immigrants in the United States, who come from many different countries, obviously including Mexico, Central America, and their relationships with their loved ones in their countries of origin. Remittances are the aorta between immigrants and their loved ones. Those dollars we send every week, every month, allow our loved ones to stay out of poverty, out of violence, and most importantly, keeps them from migrating to the United States. This proposal is so farfetched, it's silly, but we have to take it seriously because this man wants to be president of our great nation.
RAMOS: That is to say, and I find this very interesting, Donald Trump should be taken seriously, is what you're saying Jorge Mario. Why?
CABRERA: We've always taken this candidate seriously, because his rhetoric is like poisoning a lake from which everyone drinks water. And this affects many people. We've already seen it, from verbal hate crimes towards our community to serious incidents in which our community has been attacked just for looking like immigrants, or Latinos or Mexicans.
