The news today is that Trump is going to sign an executive order to start building The Wall. It’s estimated that it will cost over $10 billion/mile. He is still insisting that Mexico will pay for it, but has yet to tell us how that will happen. Does anybody have a clue as to what his Super Secret Plan is to accomplish this?
One idea kicking around is that Trump will confiscate remittances from illegal immigrants who send money to Mexico. Of course, Mexicans aren’t stupid. The first payment that does not go through, they will stop pouring money into the system if it’s just being stolen (or “confiscated” like happens along the highways of America). That would however remove something like $27Billion (!) of money flowing into Mexico each year, and certainly the effect on the Mexican economy would incentivize the Mexican government to talk to Trump.
Cite?
More like $10 million a mile or $10 billion total.
Yeah, I don’t think $10 billion a mile is remotely in the right ballpark. Most estimates I’ve seen have been in the general range of $20-30 billion, total.
Any way to do this legally?
By the way, I’m also skeptical of the OP’s cost estimate but I think it’s a bad idea even if it costs much less.
It is estimated to take four years to construct.
By then, there will be a new president. And no one will remember who is paying for it.
You might think that the people who chanted “Mexico!” at his rallies when he asked “And who’s going to pay for it?” might be a bit angry over this news. Or not.
Not easily and pretty much a pointless thing to do. How do you prove that the person sending it is an illegal? Couldn’t they just have someone with legal status send it? Also if something like this happened they could easily send money to another country first and then route it to Mexico, maybe somewhere like Panama.
Wouldn’t the companies that wire the money get pretty damned pissed off at the government for ruining their reputations? “The only guarantee we can give you is that we’ll take your money!” is not a slogan that will inspire confidence.
China will build a Great Wall! It will be the most Awesome Wall ever, believe me!
And the Mongols will pay for it!
Tax, not confiscate.
A 100% tax?
Step 1: Wire money to an exchange in Canada (or a 100 other countries).
Step 2: The exchange forwards the money to the recipient in Mexico.
The idea of somehow magically stopping people in the US from sending money to Mexico is magnificently absurd and displays absolutely no knowledge of international banking.
The wall is all political theater. Everyone, I mean everyone, with an ounce of sense knows that a maximum-security prison style wall won’t happen. (And it won’t stop a lot of illegal immigration. A lot of people come in other ways.)
The sooner everybody forgets about it, the better.
I thought the idea being kicked around was just taxing remittances not just flat out confiscating them. Obviously they would dry up pretty quick otherwise.
I’ll believe that when I see it from the moon.
Sorry, that should have been “million”.
Looks like we are planning on giving Mexico about $134M in foreign aid. Keep it and that’s 13.5 miles right there.
Legally taxing people that the government claims are illegal immigrants, instead of kicking them out of the country?
Now I’m no lawyer, but the legalities of this seem rather iffy to me.
There’s a great idea-“Give us ten billion dollars or you will never see that one hundred and thirty four million dollars in foreign aid!”