Sen. Tex Cruz (R-TX) has a new plan to pay for President Donald Trump’s border wall.
The Texas senator on Tuesday introduced legislation that would funnel any assets seized from Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman as part of the United States’ criminal case against him. The U.S. is seeking $14 billion in criminal forfeiture from El Chapo.
“Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals across our southern border,” Cruz said in a statement announcing the bill. “Ensuring the safety and security of Texans is one of my top priorities. We must also be mindful of the impact on the federal budget. By leveraging any criminally forfeited assets of El Chapo and his ilk, we can offset the wall’s cost and make meaningful progress toward achieving President Trump’s stated border security objectives.”
Cruz’s bill, the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act, would funnel that $14 billion and any other assets seized from drug cartels toward Trump’s border wall.
