Trump ‘crosses the wall’ to visit Mexico and meet prez

Donald Trump is going to Mexico, a country he trashed repeatedly on his way to the nomination, to meet its president before a much-awaited speech on immigration later Wednesday.

The Republican nominee who has tried to tone down his rhetoric on immigration in a bid to court Hispanic voters, said in a tweet he was going at the invitation of President Enrique Pena Nieto. “I have accepted the invitation of President Enrique Pena Nieto, of Mexico, and look very much forward to meeting him tomorrow,” he wrote .

This will be Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader as a nominee, and it wasn’t clear what they plan to discuss and achieve, from what is scheduled to be a private discussion.

Nieto extended official invitations to both Trump and the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton last Friday to visit Mexico, according to his office. Only Trump has responded so far.

On his return, Trump is expected to deliver a high-stakes speech on immigration, an issue that has been central to his campaign and one which has tried to recalibrate in recent weeks.

Trump started out by calling all illegal Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals in his speech announcing his run in June 2015. He stuck by the theme through the primaries. Trump also attacked his rivals who supported a moderate approach that allowed the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to stay on after paying back-taxes and fulfilling other conditions.

He spoke of a “deportation force” that he would send out to round up undocumented immigrants and send them back to their countries of origin, if he is elected. While his tough talk went down well with some Republicans, specially those at the core of his support base — less-educated and less-affluent, white men— others were repulsed.

The party itself was alarmed. At 17% of the population, Hispanics, who account for a large chunk of undocumented immigrants, are the second largest ethnic group in America. And Trump’s poll numbers are not good among them — between 18% and 32%, the higher number has been disputed. It’s nearly impossible for him to win without their support.

Thus the recent outreach to Hispanics, toning down of rhetoric, and the visit to Mexico.