Doral City Council votes against condemning Donald Trump's comments

Mayor Luigi Boria: 'We have to look forward'

DORAL, Fla. – A resolution to condemn Donald Trump's controversial comments about Mexican immigrants failed to win approval in Doral, a city dominated by Hispanics and where Trump owns a significant amount of land.

Vice Mayor Sandra Ruiz presented a resolution denouncing Trump's controversial comments about Mexicans. Ruiz, who is of Mexican descent, made a motion to condemn Trump's remarks during Wednesday's City Council meeting.

"There's no room for these comments in our communities," Ruiz told Local 10 News senior political reporter Michael Putney. "We've come too far to now make room for racist remarks."

Some residents and community activists were calling on Doral officials to rescind Trump's key to the city and stop doing business at Trump National Doral.

"That piece of garbage does not deserve to be honored by anybody, much less the city of Doral," resident Carlos Pereda said.

But in a 3-2 vote, the council members -- all of whom are Hispanic -- rejected the symbolic resolution, saying that while they disagree with his comments, they didn't want to get political.

"This dais is not the right place to talk about political issues," Doral Mayor Luigi Boria said. "We have to look forward."

Ruiz said the council has gotten involved in politics before and that other cities have passed the same resolutions. She said she expected more in a predominantly Hispanic community.

"Why today it's not an item that should be discussed in this forum, I find it, quite frankly, difficult to understand," Ruiz said.

Boria, however, said there were other issues to consider.

"Mr. Trump is the second-largest employer here in the city," Boria said. "He employees more than 1,000 people in our city. He has invested more than $250 million in our city."

Doral Councilwoman Anna Maria Rodriguez agreed.

"I personally don't support, you know, taking the key back or calling him a persona non grata," she said. "Mr. Trump has made a significant investment in our city."

Ruiz said Trump called her immediately after making the anti-Mexican comments and called her again Wednesday.

"When I received a call today to have the the item removed from the agenda, you know, my statement was, 'Absolutely not. I will not do that,'" Ruiz said.

Trump hasn't said whether he'll return the key to the city if asked.

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