Daniel Garza: “Americans Care About Order at the Border”

THE PRESIDENT OF LIBRE SAYS THAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DEPORTATIONS WEIGHS LESS IN TODAY’S POLITICAL AGENDA.

Daniel Garza, Hispanic leader and president of The LIBRE Initiative, warns that a comprehensive immigration reform will not be possible before 2026. He argues that although the economy is facing the loss of millions of migrant workers, the American citizen now prioritizes security and border control.

A recent report by Economic Insights and Research Consulting (EIRC) revealed that the U.S. labor force has lost nearly 1.2 million migrant workers in 2025, directly affecting key sectors such as agriculture, construction, and hospitality. This finding confirms the pressure on the labor market and explains why leaders from different sectors are urgently calling for solutions.

In this context, we spoke with Daniel Garza, president of The LIBRE Initiative, an organization that promotes economic freedom and prosperity for Hispanic families in the U.S. Garza has long advocated for comprehensive immigration reform and the protection of Dreamers. His voice is key at this moment, as the immigration debate is being shaped by new priorities.

Do you think there is a real opportunity right now to move forward with immigration reform discussions, given that the border situation seems under control?

Daniel Garza: Well, I think these practices have been going on for 30 years and we still haven’t reached any solution or conclusion. Currently, María Elvira Salazar from Florida has proposed her Dignity Act, which has several good elements, others not so much, but it would be a good start. The problem is that the extremes of both parties do not want to talk, do not want to reach an agreement, and each party uses the issue as a political tool. Some Republicans are more aggressive about closing the border, and Democrats about opening it and letting everyone in. Neither extreme is good.

Does that mean you don’t see comprehensive reform as possible right now?

Daniel Garza: I don’t see it as possible until after the 2026 elections. There is too much at stake for moderates to come together and strike a deal right now. What I do see as possible is doing something about certain segments. I mean Dreamers, visas, asylum, or limited reforms in border security. But a comprehensive, full reform? I don’t see it.

You and your organization have consistently defended Dreamers. Is there room for an agreement?

Daniel Garza: Yes, I think it’s possible, because it has even been proposed in the past by the president. But here’s the frustration. Republicans never promised to expand legal pathways, Democrats did. Republicans never promised to legalize Dreamers, Democrats did. And they didn’t deliver. So people no longer believe them. It’s been a cycle of empty promises. “If you vote for me, you’ll get reform.” People voted for Obama, and nothing happened. Then they promised again, and again nothing happened. The Latino community is tired of it.

But wasn’t it Trump himself who said he might consider some kind of solution for Dreamers?

Daniel Garza: Yes. Trump proposed citizenship for two million Dreamers, but in exchange he wanted funding for his wall. Democrats said no, never. Today the wall is already funded under the Big Beautiful Bill, and our Dreamers have received nothing. Democrats were bad negotiators. I think now is the time to negotiate and achieve something for the Dreamers, even if it is not a comprehensive reform.

You keep insisting on border security as a priority. Doesn’t that risk be confused with an anti-immigrant stance?

Daniel Garza: We should not confuse the two. When a Republican talks about border security, it does not mean they are ruling out the possibility of reform for Dreamers, refugees, or the 15 million undocumented immigrants. The priority is to secure and take control of the border, and that is what the Trump administration has already achieved. Now is the time to expand legal pathways.

Who should take the first step on that path?

Daniel Garza: Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, needs to take the lead. But neither party can act alone. Both sides need to give something up. Each party has to lose a little so the country can win

A recent report shows that the U.S. labor force has shrunk due to the drop in migrant worker participation, affecting sectors like agriculture and construction. Isn’t that a decisive factor for the Trump administration to consider some action for workers without status in agriculture, construction, and hospitality?

Daniel Garza: Economists care about it, but politicians not so much. What is not desirable is to have between 15 and 20 million undocumented people living in the shadows. The political priority is to bring order to society, not so much to protect the economy. Americans no longer care as much about the economy. What they demand is order at the border. That is the Trump administration’s bet: deport everyone to restore order, even if it might affect the economy.

Do you believe mass deportation wouldn’t severely harm the country’s economy?

Daniel Garza: I’m not an economist to say yes or no. What I do know is that we are an economy that can withstand a lot. The economy of Los Angeles County is larger than Mexico’s. New York’s economy is larger than Russia’s. So even if five or ten million people are deported, it does not necessarily crash the economy.

But during the campaign Trump insisted that only criminals would be prioritized for deportations. Wasn’t there a change in the rules?

Daniel Garza: I never understood it to be limited to criminals. I always knew they would start with criminals, then move on to single adults, and finally families. But I never heard that entering the country undocumented guaranteed permanent stay. No president has ever guaranteed that — not Obama, not Biden, not Trump.

Finally, what would be your ideal scenario to start a conversation about immigration reform in 2027?

Daniel Garza: Ideally, it would be a comprehensive law that includes Dreamers, asylum, visas, temporary worker reform, and the status of millions of undocumented immigrants. A blend of several laws into one proposal, like what happened with the Big Beautiful Bill. But that will only be possible if both parties negotiate in good faith. The winner cannot be one party, it has to be the country, the people.