Mexican immigrant who works in Trump hotel defends 'my community'

[umbertino]

A busboy at the Koi Soho restaurant, which leases space inside one of Donald’s Trump’s New York hotels, took part in a video hitting back at the candidate

 

 

Ellen Brait in New York

 

Thursday 20 August 2015 20.01 BST

 

 

 

 

A Mexican immigrant who works in one of Donald Trump’s hotels and took part in a video hitting back at the Republican frontrunner over his statements on immigration has said he wanted to “defend my community”.

 

In

, Ricardo Aca, a Mexican immigrant and a busboy at the Koi Soho restaurant, which leases space inside the Trump Soho hotel in New York, explains that although he is a Mexican, he is a not a criminal or a drug dealer, and “definitely not a rapist”. The comments are a reference to the speech Trump made opening his campaign, in which he attacked Mexican immigrants and promised to build a great wall along the US’s southern border.

 

Aca said he was shocked and angered when he first heard Trump’s speech, and immediately began brainstorming ways to respond.

 

“At first, I was really in shock,” Aca told the Guardian. “You know this person, you’ve seen them in TV shows like The Apprentice or you know them because they’re a very successful businessman, so at first you can’t believe it.”

 

Eschewing Trump’s favored methods, Aca wanted to respond “without necessarily attacking or insulting” him.

 

He decided to shoot a photo series entitled “Not A...” showing individual Mexicans and families holding signs saying “I’m not a criminal”, “I’m not a rapist”, and “I’m not a drug dealer”. He wanted his work to “be able to defend myself, my co-workers, my family, and everyone in the Mexican community”.

 

When he was approached by Chase Whiteside from documentary web series New Left Media about the idea of a video highlighting his photography and life, he readily agreed. “I wanted to send this message and I knew I wanted to defend my community,” he said. He did not anticipate it going viral so quickly. Only 24 hours after its release, it had more than 300,000 views on Facebook and 79,000 on YouTube.

 

Aca crossed the border with his family 10 years ago and currently lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn. He attended high school in Queens and received an associate’s degree in photography at LaGuardia Community College. He works three jobs: as an assistant in a photography lab, as a runner at a restaurant Cherry Izakaya in Williamsburg, and at Koi Soho.

 

“This is where I went to high school. This is where all of my friends are. It’s home to me,” he says in the video.

 

Trump has been vocal about his thoughts on Mexican immigrants. If elected president, he plans to build a wall along the Mexican border and deport 11 million undocumented immigrants.

 

Although Aca labels himself an “undocumented immigrant” in the video, he does have authorization to work in the US. He was granted deportation deferrals and work permits under a 2012 program, but still considers himself undocumented since he must reapply every two years. Trump opposes the program that allows Aca to stay in the US and work.

 

After the video was released at approximately 11am on Monday, the Koi payroll department called him before his shift at 4pm that day inquiring about the renewal of his work permit. He had forgotten to submit it and did so that day.

 

“They mentioned that they had seen the video and that they just wanted to make sure that my employment authorization card was up to date,” Aca told the Guardian. “At first I was really shocked because I knew at some point it was going to get to my job, but I didn’t know it was going to be the same day in a couple of hours.”

 

Aca was ready for negative backlash. Despite the job at Koi Soho being his “main income”, he was prepared to lose it in order to get his message out.

 

“I really wanted to stand up for what I believe in and defend my community,” Aca said. “I know that whatever happens, if they fire me ... I know I will be fine in looking for another job.”

 

In an interview with the New York Times, Trump responded to the video: “He’s got a legal work permit. I’ve heard he does a good job. We thought he was an illegal immigrant at first.”

 

But he added: “I want to check his file.”

 

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/20/trump-hotel-employee-mexican-immigrant-video

[divemaster5734]

A busboy 

 

 

A Mexican immigrant who works in one of Donald Trump’s hotels and took part in a video hitting back at the Republican frontrunner over his statements on immigration has said he wanted to “defend my community”.

 

 

Why Umber, why are you so determined to twist what Trump said, even AFTER he classified the statement?

I'm happy the immigrant found a way to get his 15 minutes of fame, even if all he managed to do was demonstrate what a moron he is to the world.

Trump spoke against the criminals.

While the person above could be a criminal for crossing illegally, he was not what Trump was referring to.

Even then, are you saying any murderer, rapist, or bank robber that manages to escape from prison, then manages to earn a living using an alias, should never be prosecuted for their crimes when finally found out?

What's that?

Don't tell me it's different, breaking the law is breaking the law.

 

If we presume the above mentioned person came legally, and is a productive member of our society, and actually DID want to defend this country, then he would also be fed up with the hordes of illegals sneaking up here draining public money, robbing, murdering, raping, and bringing drugs.

Unless, of coarse, he is referring to his country as Mexico, in which case, he is defending Mexico's assistance in the destruction of America, by allowing illegals from central America free access through Mexico to illegally cross our boarders, in direct opposition to American laws, so if that's what he meant, that jerk can go to hell.

Along with every other ignorant moron mindlessly parroting the lies perpetrated by the left wing media, and advocating the total destruction of America, which, by the way, is MY country.

One country that I am very willing to fight for, on any level necessary.

Please choose your side carefully, lest folks start thinking you also want to destroy America.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

DIVEMASTER ---  Right on ! 

[bigwave]

"One country that I am very willing to fight for, on any level necessary."

Why thank you Divemaster- I'm right there with you.