Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers is putting forth a simple solution to pay for President Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall: tax illegal aliens.
On Thursday, the East Alabama Congressman introduced the “Border Wall Funding Act of 2017,” which would impose a 2 percent fee on all money sent south of the nation’s border.
The plan has already received the endorsement of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).
“This bill is simple – anyone who sends their money to countries that benefit from our porous borders and illegal immigration should be responsible for providing some of the funds needed to complete the wall,” Rep. Rogers said. “This bill keeps money in the American economy, and most importantly, it creates a funding stream to build the wall.”
According to Rogers’ office, Mexico received over $24 billion in remittances sent from the U.S. in 2014. Mexico’s central bank has confirmed that the number grew to $25 billion in 2015, while total remittances for 2016 are expected to reach $27 billion. Other South and Central American nations received over 15% of their GDPs in the same manner.
“President Trump has made it very clear that he intends to complete a wall along our Southern border. As a senior member of the Homeland Security committee, I have long supported the border wall, which will protect Americans,” Rogers said.
The bill so far has eight co-sponsors.
During the 2016 election, Donald Trump won sweeping support from Alabamians partially because of his strong stance against illegal immigration. At the time, he also proposed a similar tax that affect the flow of money outside the country.
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