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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's rants on illegal immigration has gone so far this time that the Mexican president called him "a real threat" and several of his Hispanic campaign partners are leaving.
Hours after a meeting with Mexican President Pena Nieto on Wednesday, Trump promised a harsh crackdown on illegal, particularly criminal, immigrants in a speech in Phoenix, Arizona state.
Repeating the idea to erect a wall on borders with Mexico, he said he would force the Latin American country to pay for the cost.
Given Trump's previous remarks calling Mexican immigrants rapists and killers, Nieto toughened his stance and branded the U.S. presidential candidate "a real threat" to Mexico in a speech with young people.
Previously, Nieto was criticized for being too soft on Trump for not blasting the later's "insulting" attitude face in face.
Back in the United States, two members of Trump's Hispanic Advisory Council announced their resignation following the nominee's Wednesday speech.
More of Trump's council members threatened to leave. Rumors went viral on the internet that up to 15 of the council's 30 members may quit, according to the British newspaper the The Daily Mail.
"As a compassionate conservative, I am disappointed with the immigration speech," the CEO of the Hispanic-owned computer consulting firm Greater Houston Partnership Massey Villarreal said to U.S.-based Latino news press NBC Latino, adding that he was ready to leave Trump.
Trump said he has softened his position in a radio interview on Thursday, Washington-based news reporter Politico said on its website.
"Look, we do it in a very humane way, and we're going to see with the people that are in the country," he said to the radio host referring to deportation of illegal immigrants.
Politico commented that the Republican nominee's latest comment "amplifies the pick-what-you-want-to-hear nature of his talk on immigration."
