GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump took to Twitter to defend his earlier remarks about Mexican immigrants in the wake of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's prison escape.
Trump tweeted that the U.S. would invite Guzman to become a citizens "because 'leaders' can't say no!" He also criticized the border protection as weak, saying Guzman and "the Mexican drug cartels" use it "like it was a vacuum cleaner, sucking drugs and death right into the U.S."
Mexico's biggest drug lord escapes from jail. Unbelievable corruption and USA is paying the price. I told you so! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2015
The U.S. will invite El Chapo, the Mexican drug lord who just escaped prison, to become a U.S. citizen because our "leaders" can't say no! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
El Chapo and the Mexican drug cartels use the border unimpeded like it was a vacuum cleaner, sucking drugs and death right into the U.S. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
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When will people, and the media, start to apologize to me for my statement, "Mexico is sending....", which turned out to be true? El Chapo — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
The presidential candidate came under fire recently after he uttered negative comments about Mexican immigrants.
"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," Trump said. "They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with (them). They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
Several organizations cut their ties with Trump following his remarks, including NBC and Macy's. Despite the backlash, Trump did not back down on his comments. After Guzman's prison escape, he asked when the media would apologize because his statement turned out to be true.
Trump also used Guzman's escape to attack opponents Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush. "Can you envision Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton negotiating with 'El Chapo?'" he said.
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch fired back at Trump on Twitter, saying his remarks were wrong because "Mexican immigrants, as with all immigrants, have much lower crime rates than native born."
Mexican immigrants, as with all immigrants, have much lower crime rates than native born. Eg El Paso safest city in U.S. Trump wrong. — Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) July 12, 2015
Guzman escaped from a maximum-security prison in Mexico through a mile-long tunnel under the shower floor of his cell over the weekend, marking his second prison escape.
Former U.S. drug enforcement officials have expressed concern that Guzman will retake control of the Sinaloa cartel, which reaches into the United States as well as into other parts of the world.
The drug lord was indicted in Chicago in 2009 and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in 2013. Federal officials pushed for Guzman to stand trial in Chicago, but he was sent to Mexico for his trial instead.
A crime-fighting group in Illinois said Sunday that Guzman will be renamed Chicago's "Public Enemy No. 1" after his escape.
