Luis Gutierrez tells millions of Hispanics to become citizens

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Illinos Rep. Luis Gutierrez urged 8.8 million green card holders to become naturalized citizens in response to Donald Trump's immigration rhetoric
Complains about 'mean and frankly, let’s be honest, racist attacks on Mexican immigrants'
Gutierrez wants more Latinos to be able to vote so Democrats can crush Trump and other Republicans in 2016
'Every time you see Trump’s face on your TV, vow to learn a little more English or a few more history facts so you can take the [citizenship] test'
'Let’s turn Trump’s negative words into something positive. That is how you deal with bullies and bigots'

By David Martosko, Us Political Editor For Dailymail.com

Published: 11:55 EST, 15 July 2015 | Updated: 15:06 EST, 15 July 2015

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A Democratic congressman wants millions of people who hold U.S. green cards to become American citizens in order to send Donald Trump and other Republicans a message that they're 'mean and frankly, let’s be honest, racist.'

Louis Gutierrez, who is the senior House Democrat from Illinois and a Puerto Rican immigrant, spoke on the House floor just after 10:00 Wednesday morning, delivering a message especially to more than 5 million Hispanic U.S. residens who are eligible for citizenship today.

'Every time you see Trump’s face on your TV, vow to learn a little more English or a few more history facts so you can take the [citizenship] test,' he said.

'Let’s turn Trump’s negative words into something positive. That is how you deal with bullies and bigots.'

Gutierrez spoke next to a poster of an angry-looking Trump, at times becoming just as animated himself.

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ANGRY: Illinois Democratic Rep. Luis Guttierez said Wednesday morning during a congressional speech that legal Hispanic immigrants living in the U.S. should become citizens to send a message to Donald Trump

NO APOLOGIES: Donald Trump insists that he's right about the danger posed by people the US government refers to as 'criminal aliens' – including some murderers and rapists

Gutierrez said Hispanics with temporary immigration status in the U.S. should take a page from other groups throughout American history and join the group of voting-eliible Americans.

'Latinos should do just what the Irish and the Polish and the Italians did. Become citizens and vote,' he said.

'Almost all of the immigrants in this country are going to remain in this country until the day they die, let’s be honest. So for the millions who meet the requirements of citizenship I say: take the step.'

Gutierrez spokesman Douglas Rivlin told DailyMail.com that while Trump's rhetoric has energized the national debate about illegal immigrants, 'he is not making a prediction about who will be the nominee. Only that for many Americans, right now, Trump is the face of the Republican Party.'

'In the past, anti-immigrant rhetoric has had a political consequence for the GOP,' Rivlin said in an email, 'and the congressman hopes that citizenship and voter registration are among the consequences for the GOP in the wake of Trump’s attacks.'

Trump has emerged as the GOP's presidential front-runner, placing first with 17 per cent support in a new Suffolk University/USA Today poll. Just six weeks ago he was polling at 2 per cent.

But his campaign launch lit up the airwaves with the claim that 'rapists' and other criminals are streaming into the U.S. from south of the border, and the Obama administration is unwilling to stop it.

A Trump campaign official told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that 'Mr. Trump believes a nation without borders is not a nation at all.'

'He is the only candidate who will build a wall‎ to secure our border and maintain the rule of law. The silent majority will no longer be silent.'

Rep Gutierrez urges immigrants to become citizens to battle Trump

START OF A MOVEMENT? Gutierrez rpredicted last wek on 'Real Time with Bill Maher' that Trump's rhetoric would become 'a voter registration machine' for Latinos

Gutierrez seemed eager to hammer the real estate billionaire on Wednesday for 'trying to define the Party as one that will fight against immigrants it sees as murderers, drug-dealers, criminals, and rapists.'

And although Gutierrez is not Mexican, he claimed Trump's arguments are seen as attacks on all Hispanics.

'When Donald Trump says Mexican immigrants are criminals,' he said in his speech, 'what do I and other Puerto Ricans hear? I hear him saying all Puerto Ricans are criminals, too, as far as Republicans are concerned.'

'And millions of others hear Hondurans or Columbians or Dominicans. And it is clear to all of us that what he is really saying is that all Latinos are suspect, whether we were born here or not.'

Trump hasn't made an argument against Hispanics in general or against Mexican immigrants as a group, but has claimed that Mexico's government is 'sending' criminals north in the way Cuban dictator Fidel Castro did in 1980, springing open his prisons to seed the U.S. with Cuba's worst.

IMMIGRATION DOVE: Gutierrez is the senior Democratic congressman from Illinois and often hectors government officials about the need for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants

Trump defends controversial remarks on Mexican Immigrants

Gutierrez said Wednesday morning that his plan to create millions of naturalized Hispanic-Americans is ripe because of how cheap the process has become.

'Let me fill you in on a little secret,' he said. 'With fee waivers for up to 20 per cent of those applying, it is absolutely free.'

'Becoming a citizen for free so you can make it clear that you are offended by Donald Trump – it is poetic and patriotic.'

'Rather than renew that green card for $450,' he urged, 'become a citizen for about $230 more, or zero if you get the fee waiver.'

Overall there are more than 8.8 million green card holders in the United States.

About 64 per cent of the 5.4 million legal immigrants from Mexico who could become U.S. citizens if they chose to have not taken that step, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Immigrants from all other countries combined 'naturalize' at about twice that rate.