Texas Pastor Ramiro Peña has been one of Donald Trump’s most prominent Hispanic evangelical supporters and advisors since the 2016 presidential campaign.
However, the nation’s top broadcast television networks, in English and Spanish, have consistently ignored Pastor Peña and his significant role advising the President, including during the current crisis over U.S. border security.
The deliberate suppression of Pastor Peña’s views, which are shared by tens of millions of people throughout the country, was especially glaring when President Trump recently visited South Texas.
When you hear what Pastor Peña had to say to the President, including validating his “heart of compassion” and determination to bring an end to the scourge of human suffering that comes with illegal immigration, it is no wonder that most of the media chose to avoid airing his views, as they just didn't fit within - and in fact were diametrically opposed to - their preferred narrative and spin on the subject.
Thankfully, the Pastor’s remarks were recorded and MRC Latino presents his exchange with the President below as a public service.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Pastor, please
PASTOR RAMIRO PEÑA: Well, thank you Mr. President first for coming to Texas again and for supporting the Rio Grande Valley.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you
PASTOR PEÑA: I especially want to thank you for calling this what it is: a humanitarian crisis. When you use that language it really sets bells to ringing, because that is what it is. People in my profession see the suffering, the human suffering, brought by drugs, by the arms that are brought across making our communities more violent, the trafficking of women and children especially, and boys and young males as well. And the truth that needs to be talked about, that is seldom talked about, is the amount of under-reporting of crime. When these things happen in the shadows people are not always eager to point out the crimes that are taking place, and it goes under-reported. But people in my profession, especially Spanish-speaking pastors, especially Spanish-speaking pastors in this sector, know firsthand the human suffering, the human toll that’s taking place because of the onslaught. The sickness, the disease, the lack of sanitation that’s going on because of the bunch-up at the border, and people trying to come in. So I just want to give a very heartfelt thanks because I have had the privilege of visiting with you before. I know your heart of compassion. Although some don’t want to paint you as having a heart of compassion, I know you as a man that does have this heart of compassion. It’s genuine and authentic, and the fact that you called it what it is: it’s a crisis and a humanitarian crisis, and again the pastors that I’m here representing today salute you and thank you for wanting to bring an end to untold suffering that’s taking place on our southern border. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you, Pastor. Very nice, good to see you again. Appreciate it.
