Washington, July 12 (IANS/EFE) Real-estate magnate and TV personality Donald Trump promises he will win the Hispanic vote to become the Republican candidate and then the elected president of the US, despite his controversial remarks about Mexican immigrants.

Trump made that prediction at a press conference on Saturday in Los Angeles, where he again defended his opinion about the harm undocumented immigrants are doing to the US, the daily Los Angeles Times reported.

“When it’s all said and done, I will win the Hispanic vote. I will win the Hispanic vote because I’m going to create jobs. I’m going to take them away from China,” Trump said.

The Republican hopeful has been widely censured for his comments last June 16 when he announced his run for the presidency and at the same time harshly criticised Mexican immigrants and proposed building a “great wall on our southern border”.

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best… They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems to us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people!” the magnate said as he launched his campaign.

On Saturday, the billionaire businessman backed his stand by surrounded himself with supporters who said they had lost loved ones in crimes and traffic accidents involving undocumented immigrants.

“People came into the country illegally and killed their children. The illegals come in and the illegals kill their children,” Trump told the press conference.

The magnate added that other countries like Mexico are “sending criminals to us and we’re putting those criminals in jails, often times after they’ve hurt somebody or killed somebody”.

About 150 protestors gathered outside the building where Trump was speaking to blast his remarks, while a smaller group of his sympathisers were also on hand holding up posters that said “Trump tells the truth,” according to the Angeleno daily.

Trump’s statements have lost him several contracts, including those with TV networks Univision, ESPN and NBC, the Macy’s department store chain, Spanish chef Jose Andres and car-race organiser NASCAR.

Republican hopefuls for the US presidency who have distanced themselves from Trump’s comments include Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and Rick Perry.