“Hey – I can’t see you”, Bush said.
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The group’s president, Javier Palomarez, introduced Bush by praising his record, particularly on education, and the former governor’s view that immigration reform is an “economic imperative”.
Though Bush is a well known member of the historic Bush family, this is the first time he has ever capitalized on his famous heritage since his bid for the republican presidential nomination.
BuzzFeed editor Adrian Carrasquillo pointed out in a tweet that Bush “handled [the] protest well”, and added that the protesters were eventually escorted out by security.
He said he was glad to move on to honoring women entrepreneurs, which was the focus of the luncheon, and invoked Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner who has sparred with Bush repeatedly.
In celebrating successful Latina businesswomen, Bush parroted Trump’s slogan by saying “that’s what makes America great”.
Earlier in the day, during a half-hour-long private meeting with 75 Hispanic business leaders, Bush brought him up as well, according to three sources at the meeting.
Donald Trump high-fived him.
“I am exhausted of how we try to figure out ways to break ourselves up in our disparate parts”, added Bush, as he held his hands out wide, rather than wagging his finger.
A small group of protesters holding signs.
Mr. Bush on Monday tried to distance himself from Mr. Trump and others in the party that have taken the most ardent stances against amnesty. They learn English, as many already have. “They’re bilingual – they’re going to be extraordinarily competitive”.
But with where Trump has dragged the Republican primary on immigration, Bush was forced to talk about where he stands in relation to the increasingly rightward tilt of the candidates on immigration. But we don’t need to build a wall. “Giving people a chance to earn legal status would be a far better approach”.
“While we do not see eye to eye on all issues with any of the presidential hopefuls, those who treat our community with respect deserve the same”, the statement read.
But his support for a comprehensive immigration plan that would provide a path to legal status for the the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States has been politically fraught, sharply derided by his foes on the right and frequently cited as one of his greatest obstacles in securing the GOP nomination.
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Mr. Bush also stressed that his “family is bicultural” and that his wife of 42 years, Columba, who was born in Mexico, is “American by choice”.
