Donald Trump's controversial comments on immigration have helped him win the approval of former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke.

During his presidential election announcement speech in June, the 2016 Republican hopeful called Mexican immigrants drug traffickers and rapists. He also unveiled his immigration reform plan last week, which seeks to build a multibillion dollar wall on the southern border and deport the nearly 12 million undocumented workers who are living in the country illegally. The plan goes on to call for the end of birthright citizenship, which grants citizenship to every child born on American soil, regardless of the legal status of their parents, under the U.S. Constitution.

Although Trump's stance on immigration has been criticized by pro-immigrant rights supporters, it has helped him win over conservatives like Duke. The anti-Semitic ex-KKK leader praised the billionaire real estate mogul for his immigration policy proposals and called Trump "the best of the lot" on his radio program last week, reports BuzzFeed. Duke also described Trump's candidacy as a "great thing" and praised his plan to deport undocumented immigrants from the U.S.

According to the self-described "racial realist," Trump is the best Republican candidate for president because he "understands the real sentiment of America."

Duke, who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives, also noted Trump's experience as a salesman and his "great sense" of what people want to buy.

"I praise the fact that he's come out on the immigration issue. I'm beginning to get the idea that he's a good salesman. That he's an entrepreneur and he has a good sense of what people want to hear what they want to buy," Duke said.

"And I think he realizes that his path to popularity toward power in the Republican Party is talking about the immigration issue. And he has really said some incredibly great things recently. So whatever his motivation, I don't give a damn. I really like the fact that he's speaking out on this greatest immediate threat to the American people."

Duke went on to commend the reality television star for "saying what no other Republicans have said, few conservatives say. And he's also gone to the point where he says it's not just illegal immigration, it's legal immigration," reports CNN.