Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used to say reasonable things about immigration policy, for example calling for comprehensive reform and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. But now he's running for the nation's highest office in the GOP primary, and his rhetoric has taken a sharp turn toward the virulently xenophobic. He's now calling for a giant wall to be constructed along the US/Mexico border, mass deportations, and an end to birthright citizenship (which would require repealing the 14th Amendment), warning that Mexicans who come to the United States are rapists.

His extremist rhetoric on immigration has some fans in Boston, apparently.

The Boston Globe reports:

The homeless man was lying on the ground, shaking, when police arrived early Wednesday. His face was soaked, apparently with urine, his nose broken, his chest and arms battered.

Police said two brothers from South Boston ambushed the 58-year-old as he slept outside of a Dorchester MBTA stop, and targeted him because he is Hispanic. One of the brothers said he was inspired in part by GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

What was Trump's reaction? "I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again. They are passionate," he said.