At an event recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month, Vice President Joe Biden blasted the Republican Party and Donald Trump for supposed “xenophobia,” describing the billionaire candidate as “sick” for wanting to enforce immigration laws.
“I want you to remember, notwithstanding the fact that one guy absolutely denigrated an entire group of people, appealing to the baser side of human nature, working on this notion of xenophobia in a way that hasn’t occurred in a long time,” he said during the event.
Biden hosted the event last night at the Naval Observatory with about 100 guests including Major League baseball player Pedro Martinez, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez.
During his speech, Biden focused his remarks directly at Trump, referring to his comments about illegal immigrants.
“I walked out of the house just as Trump was talking on the television,” he said. “Folks, this will not prevail. This will not prevail. And in the meantime, let’s not take our eye off the ball. Continue to fight.”
He encouraged the Hispanic activists in the audience not to be discouraged by the anti-immigration rhetoric that was filling the airwaves – pointing out that even Trump’s harsh message would eventually fade.
“This will pass. The Trump and that stuff you’re hearing on the other team – this isn’t about Democrat- Republican – it’s about a sick message,” Biden concluded. “This message has been tried on America many times before. We always, always, always, always, always overcome.”
Biden traditionally hosts an event recognizing Hispanic leaders every year, usually using it to promote immigration reform.
In 2014, Biden chided Republicans for stalling comprehensive reform, insisting that their position on the issue would likely change after the mid-terms.
“I’m not offering any false hope about what they’ll do between now and the election, but … I can tell you, when this election [is] over in the lame duck session, they just may see the Lord. It is possible,” he said. “But if they don’t they will see some lightning.”
Meanwhile, Trump referred to immigration and the Mexican cartels during a speech aboard the USS Iowa in California.
“We have many problems in our country. One of them is immigration. There’s tremendous crime. There’s tremendous drugs pouring across the border … going to Chicago, going to New York, going to L.A,” he pointed out. “We get the drugs, they get the money. The drug cartels are going wild; they cannot believe how stupid our country is.”
Trump also criticized the notion of natural born citizenship.
“People just pour into the country,” he said. “[Americans are] disgusted when a woman who’s nine months pregnant walks into the country and has a baby and you have to take care of that baby for the next 85 years.”
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