UNITED STATES Spanish-language TV firm Univision has lashed out at Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump after he made racist comments about Mexicans.

Univision announced on Thursday that it was cancelling its coverage of the Miss USA beauty contest, the organiser of which is part-owned by Mr Trump.

During his first presidential campaign speech last week, the bewigged billionaire claimed that Mexican immigrants were “bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.”

He also called for building a wall along the southern border of the US.

On Thursday he accused Univision of trying to silence him.

Mr Trump said: “Univision is totally laying down for the Mexican government. They want to silence Donald Trump. And Donald Trump can’t be silenced.”

In a TV interview to be broadcast on Sunday, Mr Trump dug himself deeper into a hole by declaring: “You’re going to have terrorists coming through the southern border. There’s no question about it.”