UnidosUS President Janet Murguía speaks for opening of National Family Latino Expo connected to national convention.
UnidosUS President Janet Murguía speaks at Saturday opening of National Latino Family Expo. Later she said: “Defending racist behavior only encourages it.” Photo by Chris Stone

The leader of a national Hispanic group meeting in San Diego linked Saturday’s El Paso massacre to President Donald Trump’s rhetoric.

“President Trump’s hateful and bigoted words have resulted in hateful and deadly consequences,” said UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía in a statement released Sunday — the second day of the group’s annual convention.

“He now bears some responsibility for the tragic deaths in Texas, and we all must hold him accountable,” she said about the same time Rep. Scott Peters of San Diego tweeted the president: “This is on you. Your hate speech is motivating murder. Enough.”

Calling the mass shooting in El Paso that left 20 dead “a deliberate attack on our community,” Murguía said people were targeted by the 21-year-old suspected gunman “simply because of who they are.”

“It is a stark reminder that words matter,” Murguía said in the wake of weeks of presidential tweets with what many consider racist language.

UnidosU, the nation’s largest nonprofit Latino advocacy group, is holding four days of workshops and speeches, addressing issues including the 2020 census, the separation of families at the border and emerging needs of the Latino community.

“What gives me hope in these dark times is that, in spite of the division that seems to dominate our nation’s discourse, I believe in my heart that the vast majority of my fellow Americans are as troubled and appalled by what happened,” the Hispanic leader said.

“We must join with them to rise above fear, division and hate and restore respect, dignity and common humanity for all in our society. I pledge that UnidosUS will lead the way and invite others to join us.”

On Monday, five Democratic presidential candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden, former Housing Secretary Julián Castro and Sens Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders — are set to address the conference at the San Diego Convention Center. (Castro, the only Latino in the race, was a late addition.)

At Saturday’s opening luncheon, Murguía again had harsh words for Trump and his impact on the Latino community.

“Like most of you, there have been times in my life when someone told me to go back to where I came from,” she said in response the president’s recent Twitter attack on four female congresswomen of color.

“It’s an ugly, bigoted slur intended to intimidate us—to demean us into thinking we don’t belong here,” the Hispanic leader said.

Calling Trump’s tweets “stunning and a repulsive violation of our nation’s values,” Murguía said the president paints a portrait of people of color that prevents others from “seeing us as human beings, let alone Americans.”

While calling Trump “a liar and a racist,” Murguía said she is equally appalled by the lack of rebuke by Republicans. “Defending racist behavior only encourages it.”

Murguía pointed out that 59 million Latinos live in the country, 80% of whom are citizens. Under the age of 18, that percentage jumps to 93%.

“Whether President Trump likes it or not, we are the future of this country,” the Hispanic leader said in San Diego. “Whether President Trump likes it or not, diversity has always been our nation’s super power.

“We have always been part of America and we will not be erased,” she added. “Our voices will be heard and our votes will be counted.”

Besides Peters, other local members of Congress weighed in:

Rep. Juan Vargas, another Democrat, called for immediate gun reform.

Rep. Mike Levin, whose 49th district straddles North County and south Orange County, added his call for action.

Rep. Duncan Hunter of Alpine, the only GOP member of the county’s delegation, had not tweeted about the shootings by 1 p.m. Sunday. His latest comment regarded care of migrants in detention.

Updated at 8:40 a.m. Aug. 5, 2019