President Donald Trump made building a wall along America’s southern border with Mexico one of his signature campaign promises, and, thanks to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the chief executive may soon have the money to do it.
McCarthy will introduce legislation later this week providing more than $23 billion to complete construction of the border wall. Trump has continually repeated his “Build the Wall” pledge since his campaign in 2016. Breitbart News first reported Tuesday that McCarthy’s bill will give Trump funds he needs to complete the job.
“For decades, America’s inability to secure our borders and stop illegal immigration has encouraged millions to undertake a dangerous journey to come here in violation of our laws and created a huge loophole to the legal channels to the immigration process where America welcomes immigrants to our country,” McCarthy told Breitbart.
“President Trump’s election was a wake-up call to Washington. The American people want us to build the wall and enforce the law. Maintaining strong borders is one of the basic responsibilities of any nation. For too long, America has failed in this responsibility,” McCarthy said.
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The proposed Build the Wall, Enforce the Law Act’s funding would be added to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which previously directed $1.6 billion to wall funding. The bill is expected to provide all the additional funds the wall needs along with a variety of enforcement measures.
Breitbart News first reported on the bill, which it describes as setting the midterm elections up as a referendum on immigration policy. That could throw a highly contentious issue in what is already shaping up to be an impassioned election.
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan hinted last week that a border wall funding fight may be coming after the election.
Related: Trump Must ‘Pick the Right Timing’ to Push for Border Wall, McCarthy Says
“We intend on having a full-fledged discussion on how to complete our mission to secure the border, and, yes, we will have a fight about this,” Ryan told reporters Monday.
McCarthy’s proposal will also include some enforcement measures inspired by other pieces of proposed legislation. He includes a provision that mirrors Kate’s Law, named after Kate Steinle, who was shot and killed by a repeat-offender illegal alien. It also includes provisions opposing sanctuary cities and criminal aliens.
McCarthy is favored to succeed Ryan as speaker if Republicans maintain their majority in the House in November. House Freedom Caucus co-founder Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has already announced his candidacy for the speakership.
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