Jennifer Lopez has defended Puerto Ricans after a comedian at Donald Trump’s rally in New York disparaged the country as a “floating island of garbage”.

Lopez introduced Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris at a rally in Las Vegas to her track Let’s Get Loud before she gave an emotional speech on “the most important stage I’ve ever been on”.

The singer and actor made reference to the Madison Square Garden rally, where US comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made disparaging remarks about Puerto Rico and its people, which Lopez said reminds us who former president Trump “really is and how he really feels”.

“It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans that were offended that day, it was every Latino in this country, it was humanity and anyone of decent character,” Lopez said on Thursday.

Lopez said Harris’s policies were about all of the American people, “no matter what we look like, who we love, who we worship or where we’re from”, while her opponent “has consistently worked to divide us”.

The 55-year-old described herself as an American woman whose parents were “proud” to be from Puerto Rico.

“I am Puerto Rican, and yes, I was born here – and we are Americans,” Lopez said.

“And with an understanding of our past and a faith in our future, I will be casting my ballot for Kamala Harris for president of the United States proudly.”

“You can’t even spell American without Rican” Lopez joked before adding: “This is our country too.”

Lopez said Harris would fight for the freedom of immigrants to chase the American Dream, and the freedom of women “to choose what we do with our bodies”.

Harris has harnessed star power as she focuses on battleground states in her bid for the White House with Beyonce, Eminem and Bruce Springsteen among those to have appeared at her campaign events.

Madonna endorsed the vice-president in the US election as Americans cast their vote at the ballot boxes for the November 5 poll.

The US star, regarded as the Queen of Pop, revealed she returned home to the US following a trip to Paris to vote for the Democratic presidential nominee.

Alongside a selection of photos of her time in the French capital, the Material Girl singer wrote: “Paris was so fun!

“It was hard to leave, but I had to come home to V.O.T.E. @kamalaharris for President!!!!”

Pop superstar Taylor Swift added her support in September, describing the current vice president as a “steady-handed, gifted leader”.

Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would back Ms Harris in the election despite saying: “I don’t like either party right now.”

The former Republican governor of California said his party’s candidate, former US president Donald Trump, would “divide”, “insult” and “find new ways to be more un-American than he already has been”.

This post was originally published on Michael West.