Despite Republican front-runner Donald Trump's absence from the GOP debate on Thursday, attending candidates did little to distance themselves from the controversial figure's hateful and divisive rhetoric.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is currently in second place heading into the Iowa caucuses on Monday, decided to throw a jab at his oft-combative rival.

"Let me say, I'm a maniac, and everyone on this stage is fat, stupid and ugly. And Ben [Carson], you're a terrible surgeon," Cruz said. "Now that we've gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way, I want to thank everyone here for showing the men and women of Iowa the respect to show up and make the case to the people of this state and the people of the country why each of us believes we would make the best commander in chief."

Unfortunately, the ensuing conversation still emulated the anti-immigration rhetoric that has characterized Trump's campaign. Many Latinos and immigration support groups responded negatively to the candidates flip-flopping on immigration issues.

"The truth is that Cruz, Rubio, Christie and Bush have flip-flopped or zig-zagged on the issue, particularly as it relates to the 11 million people here without documents," non-profit organization Mi Familia Vota said in a statement to Latin Post. "They all cut and run from commonsense immigration reform when they decided to run for the presidential nomination in a party with an anti-immigrant base."

Of particular note was Marco Rubio's opposition to "blanket amnesty." As the son of Cuban immigrants, the Florida senator previously co-sponsored a 2013 immigration reform bill that allowed for an easier pathway to citizenship.

Mi Familia Vota also noted how the candidates tried to "out-do Trump" by denying any path to citizenship. Jeb Bush was the only candidate who advocated for the measure.

"They promote hate and fear, knowing that most voters have consistently supported commonsense immigration reform," the organization's statement added. "Most voters also back the Obama administration's DAPA and DACA+ initiatives now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll."

If Trump's absence on Thursday changed anything, it was the viewers' perception that the debate was simply less exciting.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus also released a statement on Trump's refusal to participate in the debate.

"Our debates continue to showcase the most well-qualified and diverse set of candidates in the history of either party," Priebus said. "The record level of viewership our debates have drawn is a testament not only to our tremendous field, but also the unmatched enthusiasm of conservatives across the country ready to take our country back."

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