The Koch political network called on President Donald Trump and members of Congress Saturday to avoid any "arbitrary" reductions in immigration as part of negotiations over the future of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
"Immigrants are essential to the success of our country," Brian Hooks, a senior official with the Koch organization, said in a statement. "We are committed to working with Congress and the White House to find a solution that does this without arbitrarily reducing the number of people who come here to contribute."
A statement from the group _ the most influential conservative organization outside the Republican Party _ was issued as hundreds of donors and potential donors gathered for a weekend summit at a desert resort near Palm Springs, Calif.
It was delivered after a proposal Thursday from the Trump administration that calls for a path to citizenship for beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, begun during the Obama administration. But Trump also called for a reduction of legal immigration, and a $25 billion trust fund to pay for a southern border wall and other enhanced border security measures.
A reduction in immigration runs counter to the views of the group's top benefactors, billionaires Charles and David Koch. Charles Koch in December wrote an opinion piece with Apple CEO Tim Cook that said it was a "political, economic and moral imperative" to quickly help the young immigrants with a permanent solution so they can "plan their lives and develop their talents."
Keeping the Kochs and their donors happy is important for the Republican Party in an election year. The network pledged to spend $300 million to $400 million on policy and political campaigns in 2017 and 2018, up from the roughly $250 million during the 2015-16 campaign season. The money will be spread across groups that have a presence in more than 30 states and a voter-turnout operation that rivals the Republican Party's.
The Kochs didn't support Trump in the 2016 campaign, although members of their affiliated groups hold a range of views on the president and his policies.
