Libre Initiative is a right-leaning group that campaigns before Hispanics with a pro-free market economic and limited government message and is supported by the donor network associated with Charles Koch and his late brother David. ¹ The group was a standalone nonprofit until 2019, when it became a part of Americans for Prosperity as part of a Koch advocacy network reorganization. ²

The group has supported granting legal status to some illegal immigrants, and its immigration stance has led some Republican candidates to refuse endorsements from the group. ³

Background

The Libre Initiative was founded in 2011 to promote free-market economic policies to Hispanic Americans. It is a part of the network of center-right to libertarian-leaning groups associated with Charles Koch and his late brother David. ⁴

As a part of the group’s Hispanic outreach, it teamed up with churches and other groups to provide services such as tax preparation, ⁵ English classes, driving classes, and graduate-equivalency degree (GED) assistance for high-school dropouts. ⁶

Political Stances

Opposition to Obamacare

The Libre Initiative opposed Obamacare and ran ads targeting Hispanic U.S. Representatives who supported it. It also wrote op-eds criticizing the law as too expensive and bad for Hispanics. ⁷

Support of School Choice

The Libre Initiative supported school choice by running pro-charter school campaigns in several states and canvassing Hispanic neighborhoods in Nevada supporting education savings accounts. It worked with Americans for Prosperity on campaigns and lawsuits supporting school choice. ⁸

Opposition to Bidennomics

In August 2023, the Libre Initiative launched the “La Prosperidad es Posible” (“Prosperity is Possible”) campaign criticizing President Joe Biden’s economic policies. The campaign targeted Hispanic voters in competitive districts in Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin and argued student loan debt cancellation, high inflation, pro-union policies, and restricting domestic oil and gas production hurt Hispanic voters financially. As a part of the campaign, the group campaigned at intimate gatherings and held events at gas stations where the group paid for part of the cost of gas for attendees. ⁹

Support for Legalizing Illegal Immigrants

The Libre Initiative supported the legalization of some illegal immigrants. It supported allowing illegal immigrants to work because it claimed the economy demanded their labor and that it grew the economy. ¹⁰

In September 2015, the group wrote an open letter opposing proposals to end birthright citizenship and to deport most illegal immigrants. ¹¹

In 2018, the group held rallies in support of allowing the children brought to the U.S. illegally to stay in the country. It also opposed efforts by House Republicans to lower legal immigration levels because it believed it was harmful to the economy and would increase illegal immigration. ¹²

In January 2022, three Texas state Senate candidates rejected an endorsement from the group’s political arm because of what they claim is its support of amnesty for illegal immigrants. Pete Flores, Mayes Middleton, and Tan Parker rejected the endorsement because of the group’s support for legalizing some illegal immigrants. The group said in a joint statement with Americans for Prosperity that the three men accepted a false premise and description of their immigration position. ¹³

Organization

2019 Reorganization

In May 2019, the Koch network of groups reorganized, and one result of this was Americans for Prosperity incorporating the Libre Initiative. ¹⁴

2023 Expansion

In April 2023, the Libre Initiative hired its first CEO. It also expressed plans to expand beyond the 12 states it was active in previously, double its staff, and spend more money on polling in 2024. The group said that it intended to take advantage of trends that showed Hispanics were shifting to the right in some places. ¹⁵

Leadership

Daniel Garza is the Libre Initiative’s president. Previously, he worked as the group’s executive director, was the host of a show on Univision, and worked in the George W. Bush administration. ¹⁶

Sandra Benitez is the group’s executive director. Previously, she was director of Hispanic engagement for the Republican National Committee. ¹⁷

Jose Mallea is the group’s CEO. Previously, he advised former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s 2016 campaign for the Republican nomination for president, ran Republican Marco Rubio’s 2010 U.S. Senate campaign, and worked in the George W. Bush administration. ¹⁸

Finances

According to its 2017 tax return, the Libre Initiative received $4,706,008 in revenue and spent $5,453,024. It had $0 in assets. ¹⁹

The group is supported by the network of political advocacy groups and donors associated with Charles Koch and his late brother David. ²⁰

1. “Koch Network Reorganizes as ‘Stand Together.’” Philanthropy News Digest, May 22, 2019. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/koch-network-reorganizes-as-stand-together.
2.  [1]“Koch Network Reorganizes as ‘Stand Together.’” Philanthropy News Digest, May 22, 2019. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/koch-network-reorganizes-as-stand-together.
3.  Gamboa, Suzanne. “Trump-Aligned Texas Candidates Shun Conservative Latino Group on Immigration.” NBC News, January 28, 2022. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna13775
4. Contreras, Russell. “Libre Initiative Gets New Leadership amid Expansion Plans.” Axios, April 27, 2023. https://www.axios.com/2023/04/27/libre-latino-voters-conservative-libertarian-jose-mallea.
5. Pabst, Georgia. “Libre Reaches out to Hispanics with Free-Enterprise Message.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 23, 2014. https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/libre-initiative-reaches-out-to-hispanics-with-free-enterprise-message-b99210747z1-246796021.html/.
6. Elliott, Philip. “Koch Brothers Mount Grassroots Effort to Support Immigration.” Time, July 20, 2018. https://time.com/5343074/libre-koch-congress-immigration/?amp=true#amp_ct=1693110891118&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16931101145631&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.
7. Pabst, Georgia. “Libre Reaches out to Hispanics with Free-Enterprise Message.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 23, 2014. https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/libre-initiative-reaches-out-to-hispanics-with-free-enterprise-message-b99210747z1-246796021.html/.
8.  Hefling, Kimberly. “How the Kochs Are Trying to Shake up Public Schools, One State at a Time.” POLITICO, October 30, 2017. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/30/kochs-public-schools-shakeup-244259.
9.  Contreras, Russell. “Koch Group Targets Latinos with Anti-“bidenomics” Campaign.” Axios, August 3, 2023. https://www.axios.com/2023/08/03/libre-initiative-latinos-bidenomics.
10. Pabst, Georgia. “Libre Reaches out to Hispanics with Free-Enterprise Message.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 23, 2014. https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/libre-initiative-reaches-out-to-hispanics-with-free-enterprise-message-b99210747z1-246796021.html/.
11.  Khalid, Asma. “Conservative Latino Group Pens Letter Opposing GOP Immigration Rhetoric.” NPR, September 9, 2015. https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/09/09/438672324/conservative-latino-group-pens-letter-opposing-gop-immigration-rhetoric.
12. Elliott, Philip. “Koch Brothers Mount Grassroots Effort to Support Immigration.” Time, July 20, 2018. https://time.com/5343074/libre-koch-congress-immigration/?amp=true#amp_ct=1693110891118&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16931101145631&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.
13. Gamboa, Suzanne. “Trump-Aligned Texas Candidates Shun Conservative Latino Group on Immigration.” NBC News, January 28, 2022. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna13775.
14. “Koch Network Reorganizes as ‘Stand Together.’” Philanthropy News Digest, May 22, 2019. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/koch-network-reorganizes-as-stand-together.
15. Contreras, Russell. “Libre Initiative Gets New Leadership amid Expansion Plans.” Axios, April 27, 2023. https://www.axios.com/2023/04/27/libre-latino-voters-conservative-libertarian-jose-mallea
16. “Daniel Garza.” The LIBRE Initiative. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://thelibreinitiative.com/team/daniel-garza/.
17. Contreras, Russell. “Libre Initiative Gets New Leadership amid Expansion Plans.” Axios, April 27, 2023. https://www.axios.com/2023/04/27/libre-latino-voters-conservative-libertarian-jose-mallea.
18. Contreras, Russell. “Libre Initiative Gets New Leadership amid Expansion Plans.” Axios, April 27, 2023. https://www.axios.com/2023/04/27/libre-latino-voters-conservative-libertarian-jose-mallea.
19. “Libre Initiative Trust – Form Form 990-O for Period Ending Jun 2017 – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/452686411/08_2018_prefixes_43-45%2F452686411_201706_990O_2018080215560053?__cf_chl_tk=isdAspT6Hy9p_VDS8Ui5Da65HPPXnlLgNfcjYcHip0M-1692807632-0-gaNycGzNDZA.
20. “Koch Network Reorganizes as ‘Stand Together.’” Philanthropy News Digest, May 22, 2019. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/koch-network-reorganizes-as-stand-together.