Donald Trump may owe his GOP front-runner status, at least in part, to the publicity created by his controversial remarks about immigrants, but his confrontation with the Latino community comes at a cost.

A mysterious video project that challenges the White House hopeful's views, it turns out is not financed by his conservative rivals -- but by the Latino Victory Project, a group co-founded by Democratic National Committee finance chairman Henry Muñoz and actress Eva Longoria, the Washington Post reported.

The clips produced by the organization seize on actual quotes from Republican candidates, such as Trump's characterization of Mexican immigrants as "rapists" and "criminals." They also urge Latinos to register and vote in the 2016 election.

"Latinos are disgusted by the outrageous claims made by 2016 presidential hopefuls, who are trying to marginalize our community for their own gains. If this is what the candidates are saying, what policies will they put in place if elected?" Cristóbal Alex, the Latino Victory Project president, said in a statement. "Our community has the power to decide the election, and we need to make sure that our voices are heard so that our leaders reflect our values."

The campaign, which is estimated to cost about $50,000, includes television and digital ads in Nevada and Colorado, two general election swing states with considerable Latino populations, according to USA Today.

"Republicans are talking. #LatinosListen," the clips' initial on-screen message reads. "This is hate. If we don't stand up, who will?" adds an actor in the spot that takes on Trump's comments.

In an ironic twist, meanwhile, Trump's confrontation with the Latino community may ultimately help unlock the potential of America's Latino electorate, the New York Times commented, since only 48 percent of eligible Latino voters cast ballots in the 2012 presidential election.

Four years ago, white and African-American voters turned out at rates of 64 percent and 67 percent, respectively. But given the recent polarization, the Latino input could be far greater in 2016, and the 5 million Hispanics eligible to become American citizens could make that part of the electorate even more critical, the newspaper detailed.