Head of Koch-affiliated group praises Kushner after immigration reform talks

The president of the Libre Initiative, on Friday, praised his meeting with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner on immigration and President Trump’s proposed southern border wall as “constructive” and “productive.”

“It was very constructive, productive. We felt Jared was an honest broker,” Daniel Garza told Hill.TV’s Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton on “Rising.”

The Libre Initiative is a conservative, Latino non-profit that is affiliated with the Koch Network. 

The White House hosted the Libre Initiative, along with other Latino organizations including the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, to discuss immigration reform, in hopes a broader deal could help end the partial government shutdown which is now in its second month.

“We’re trying to get to a space where we can all find agreement,” Garza said. “Where the left gets to a win by getting their priority. Presumably, that’s their priority, the DACA kids.” 

“And the right gets their priority, which is what the president is asking for, $5.7 billion which includes infrastructure along the border,” he said. 

President Trump has demanded $5.7 billion for his long-promised border wall, but Democratic lawmakers have refused the funding request.

Trump on Saturday proposed a deal that would have provided three years of legislative relief for about 700,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients in exchange for funding for a steel barrier at the border. Democrats, though, rejected that proposal. 

— Julia Manchester


hilltv copyright