Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said President Trump is trying to keep Latino voters from coming to the polls by putting “the fear of God” in them.

“Let’s be honest. Trump put the fear of God into a lot of Latino voters. He has demonized them. He debases them. He wants them to stay home,” Perez told CNN’s “New Day.”

Perez said Democrats, therefore, are “aggressively courting every voter, including but not limited to Latino voters.”

His comments follow several reports that Democrats are struggling to guarantee support from Latino voters in battleground states in the November midterm elections, despite the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy.

Trump has also threatened “maximum” civil and criminal penalties to those who vote illegally in the election.


The president has also ramped up his rhetoric against illegal immigration in recent days, blaming the Democratic Party for encouraging a migrant caravan heading toward the U.S.-Mexico border from Central America.

“The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW!” Trump tweeted Sunday.