The Mexican president had also invited Donald Trump's opponent Hillary Clinton. (File Photo)
Washington:
The Clinton Campaign today slammed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for his decision to visit Mexico City and meet Mexican president Pena Nieto ahead of his long-awaited speech on immigration.
"What ultimately matters is what Donald Trump says to voters in Arizona, not Mexico, and whether he remains committed to the splitting up of families and deportation of millions," said Jennifer Palmieri, communications director of the Hillary Campaign.
Trump earlier announced that he would travel to Mexico today to meet with the Mexican president.
"I have accepted the invitation of President Enrique Pena Nieto, of Mexico, and look very much forward to meeting him tomorrow," Trump tweeted.
Soon after, the Mexican President tweeted that Trump has accepted his invitation.
Notably, Nieto has been highly critical of Trump's plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.
"From the first days of his campaign, Donald Trump has painted Mexicans as 'rapists' and criminals and has promised to deport 16 million people, including children and US citizens," Palmieri said.
"He has said we should force Mexico to pay for his giant border wall. He has said we should ban remittances to families in Mexico if Mexico doesn't pay up," Palmieri alleged.
The 70-year-old reality TV star, who has in the past called some Mexicans as drug dealers, "rapists" and other criminals, argues this would stop the flow of illegal immigrants coming into the US.
Nieto had invited Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton too for a meeting.
"Both campaigns received the invitation on good terms", the president's office said in a statement.
"Trump, sensing an opportunity, decided over the weekend to accept the invitation and push for a visit this week, according to the people familiar with the discussions," The Washington Post reported.
Trump's meeting with the Mexican President would be his first formal interaction with a foreign head of state after he jumped into the electoral arena last year.
The development comes just hours ahead of the Republican presidential nominee's much-anticipated Arizona speech on immigration.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"What ultimately matters is what Donald Trump says to voters in Arizona, not Mexico, and whether he remains committed to the splitting up of families and deportation of millions," said Jennifer Palmieri, communications director of the Hillary Campaign.
Trump earlier announced that he would travel to Mexico today to meet with the Mexican president.
"I have accepted the invitation of President Enrique Pena Nieto, of Mexico, and look very much forward to meeting him tomorrow," Trump tweeted.
Soon after, the Mexican President tweeted that Trump has accepted his invitation.
Notably, Nieto has been highly critical of Trump's plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.
"From the first days of his campaign, Donald Trump has painted Mexicans as 'rapists' and criminals and has promised to deport 16 million people, including children and US citizens," Palmieri said.
"He has said we should force Mexico to pay for his giant border wall. He has said we should ban remittances to families in Mexico if Mexico doesn't pay up," Palmieri alleged.
The 70-year-old reality TV star, who has in the past called some Mexicans as drug dealers, "rapists" and other criminals, argues this would stop the flow of illegal immigrants coming into the US.
Nieto had invited Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton too for a meeting.
"Both campaigns received the invitation on good terms", the president's office said in a statement.
"Trump, sensing an opportunity, decided over the weekend to accept the invitation and push for a visit this week, according to the people familiar with the discussions," The Washington Post reported.
Trump's meeting with the Mexican President would be his first formal interaction with a foreign head of state after he jumped into the electoral arena last year.
The development comes just hours ahead of the Republican presidential nominee's much-anticipated Arizona speech on immigration.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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