More than 20 Hispanic celebrities — including “Law & Order’s” Benjamin Bratt, comedian George Lopez and “Avatar” actress Zoe Saldana — are slamming the entire GOP presidential field for “capitalizing on negative stereotypes and inaccurate information about our community.”
In an open letter addressed to "the Latino community" and released Thursday by the liberal advocacy organization People for the American Way, the Hollywood stars write, “In this year’s 2016 Republican presidential primary, the candidates crossed a line.”
“In trying to win the nomination, every one of the leading candidates dug themselves into a deep hole pandering to the anti-immigrant base of the Republican Party that idolizes Donald Trump
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Citing Trump’s controversial remarks on immigrants when he launched his White House bid last June, the letter says, “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.”
The open letter, written in both English and Spanish, is also signed by “Parks & Recreation’s” Aubrey Plaza, model Eva LaRue and director Miguel Sandoval, among others. “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.”
Other leading GOP candidates, including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio
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“Our communities have the power to decide who wins the 2016 election,” the celebrities write. “We hope that power is used to vote for candidates who support our community, share our values, and will fight for working families. Neither Trump nor any of his fellow Republican candidates meet that standard.”
Guitarist Carlos Santana said, as part of a separate statement released by People for the American Way, that he was inviting the Republican candidates “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!”
Former “Ugly Betty” star America Ferrera also weighed in via a separate statement, saying, “It’s critical that all Americans, and especially American Latinos, stand up to the misrepresentation of our communities coming from Donald Trump, Ted Cruz
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—Updated at 1:18 p.m.