LOS ANGELES, July 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Immigrant rights activists and Latino community leaders from across Southern California today applauded NBCUniversal and parent company Comcast for ending their relationship with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump after his racist and derogatory remarks about Mexican immigrants.

“I am saddened that a Republican candidate for President finds it politically expedient to accuse Mexican immigrants of rape and other heinous crimes while announcing his candidacy,” said Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of iCAIR and a Latino community leader in Los Angeles. “The pain inflicted by Donald Trump’s racist remarks is only compounded when you hear his explanation for them.”

“At an event last night, Trump declared, “No apology. Because everything I said was 100% correct – all you have to do is read the newspapers,” continued Gutierrez. “His so-called explanation only highlights the fact that we must have more honest and trusted sources of news and information for the Hispanic community in America.”

Against the backdrop of this controversy, some major media companies have been claiming to value diversity and their ethnic or foreign-language customers and employees while at the same time financially supporting anti-immigrant politicians.

“While it is a move in the right direction for NBCUniversal and Comcast to sever all ties to Donald Trump, it’s simply not enough,” said Gutierrez. “Comcast must stop supporting anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic politicians. For example, when Orrin Hatch says, ‘They’re bringing slaves into our country and bringing drugs,’ there is no difference between his racist remarks and Donald Trump’s, yet Comcast financially supports Orrin Hatch.”

iCAIR was created to call attention to the blatant anti-immigrant efforts of these companies and move them to treat their Latino customers fairly by supporting diversity in programming and ending their monetary support of politicians that support racist and discriminatory action.

The iCAIR coalition members include Hermandad Mexicana Transnacional, Frencte Civico Zacatecano, Alianza Hondureña de Los Angeles, Club Unidos Por Copala, Alianza Binacional Bracero Proa, Casa Nicaragua, Hermandad Community Centers, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Latinos Unidos LA Foundation, and Vamos Unidos USA.

For more information or to partner with iCAIR, contact us at [email protected].