Photo: AP

On Monday, Democratic congressman Filemon Vela offered Donald Trump some unsolicited advice on the placement of his “frankly astounding and asinine” border wall, recommending the Republican nominee “shove it up [his] ass,” which is racist.

In an open letter to Trump, the representative from South Texas denounced the candidate’s “hateful, dehumanizing, and frankly shameful” anti-immigrant rhetoric and racist attacks on the federal judge overseeing the Trump University lawsuit, which he called a “new low”:

You have now descended to a new low in your racist attack of an American jurist, U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel, by calling him a “Mexican” simply because he ruled against you in a case in which you are being accused of fraud, among other accusations. Judge Curiel is one of 124 Americans of Hispanic descent who have served this country with honor and distinction as federal district judges. In fact, the first Hispanic American ever named to the federal bench in the United States, Judge Reynaldo G. Garza, was also from Brownsville, Texas, and was appointed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Before you dismiss me as just another “Mexican,” let me point out that my great-great grandfather came to this country in 1857, well before your own grandfather. His grandchildren (my grandfather and his brothers) all served our country in World War I and World War II. His great-grandson, my father, served in the U.S. Army and, coincidentally, was one of the first “Mexican” federal judges ever appointed to the federal bench.

Vela’s letter serves as the fiercest rebuke from an elected official yet since Trump began publicly questioning the impartiality of Judge Curiel, who was born in Indiana, due to his “Mexican heritage.” Despite widespread criticism, Trump has made no attempt at backing away from his comments, telling supporters on Monday that reporters are the real racists.

“I would like to end this letter in a more diplomatic fashion, but I think that you, of all people, understand why I cannot,” Vela closed his message. “Mr. Trump, you’re a racist and you can take your border wall and shove it up your ass.”