Republican senators led by Ted Cruz have introduced a bill aimed at funding President Donald Trump’s border wall.
The WALL Act will provide the government $25 billion toward construction and would be funded by what supporters are calling “loopholes” in the current immigration system, according to the Hill.
“I have long called for building a wall as a necessary step in defending our border and stopping the flow of illegal immigration into our country,” Cruz said in a press release. “The overwhelming majority of Texans and Americans want to see the border secured.
“The WALL Act would fully fund the border wall by closing existing loopholes that provide illegal immigrants with federal benefits and tax credits, without affecting the benefits and tax credits used by Americans.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, others announce bill to fund $25 billion border wall https://t.co/vPvjQ8aggK
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) December 6, 2018
The proposal was introduced by four Republican lawmakers, including Cruz. Others include Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, John Kennedy from Louisiana, and Mike Rounds of South Dakota.
The proposed $25 billion would be generated by increasing fines on those who cross the border illegally.
The law would also create a minimum penalty for people who stay beyond their visa time limit. The bill would also eliminate loopholes that immigrants employ to obtain federal benefits, requiring work-authorized Social Security numbers for anyone who wants to claim refundable tax credits.
The Hill reports that the proposed legislation comes amid a stalled-out fight over the border. Congress has until the end of today to prevent a partial government shutdown.
The House’s bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security would provide Trump $5 billion for the border, while the Senate’s bill would provide $1.6 billion.
What do you think of this legislation?
