Author Junot Díaz, actor Diego Luna, filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu and dozens of other Latino cultural figures slammed Donald Trump on Tuesday for what they described as the GOP presidential candidate's "xenophobia."

"We refuse to keep silent given (Trump's) alarming statements," the group wrote in a statement published by the Spanish-language television network Univision. "Ever since he announced his candidacy, he has accused Mexican immigrants of being criminals, rapists and drug traffickers; has promised to deport 11 million of them; and has talked about building a great wall along the entire border with Mexico."

The activists, who described themselves as "Hispanics who occupy posts in U.S. academics, as well as intellectuals, artists and scientists from Mexico, Latin America and Spain," also included Arturo Sarukhán, the former Mexican ambassador to the United States, and Jorge Edwards, the Chilean ambassador to France, Time magazine detailed.

"The expulsion of Mexican immigrants would be catastrophic for states such as California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, where Mexicans carry out most manual work," they argued, regarding the real-estate tycoon's deportation proposal. "Mr. Trump's conduct is not worthy of a candidate to the Presidency of the United States, the most powerful country in the world. All of us condemn his behavior and hope that the American people will no longer tolerate his absurdities."

Latino leaders in Congress, meanwhile, have joined calls to NBC to disinvite Trump for the network's popular "Saturday Night Live" comedy program, which he is set to host on Nov. 7.

"Mr. Trump's racist remarks and his continued rhetoric demonizing Latinos and immigrants has created fear within these communities around the country, many of which are represented in Congress by Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus," members of the body said in a statement on Monday.

Illinois Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, a Democrat, also wrote a letter to the presidents of NBC and Comcast, in which he reiterated his demand to drop Trump from "SNL."