Ted Cruz Offers Brilliant Way To Pay for Wall After Conviction of Mexican Drug Lord 'El Chapo'
As Democrats have avoided funding barriers as part of President Donald Trump’s priority to secure the southern border, some Republicans have sought alternative means to build the wall.
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz devised plan last year that would utilize the seized assets of Mexican drug cartel leaders to help pay for improved border security, especially barriers, fencing and walls.
Business Insider reported that Cruz reminded everyone on Twitter of his plan Tuesday following the guilty verdicts issued in the trial of former Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, which would use the estimated $14 billion in assets owned by Guzman to pay for a border wall, should prosecutors be successful in seizing those funds.
“America’s justice system prevailed today in convicting Joaquín Guzmán Loera, aka El Chapo, on all 10 counts. U.S. prosecutors are seeking $14 billion in drug profits & other assets from El Chapo which should go towards funding our wall to #SecureTheBorder,” Cruz tweeted.
America’s justice system prevailed today in convicting Joaquín Guzmán Loera, aka El Chapo, on all 10 counts. U.S. prosecutors are seeking $14 billion in drug profits & other assets from El Chapo which should go towards funding our wall to #SecureTheBorder. https://t.co/hPwEUVM6SP
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) February 12, 2019
That tweet included a link to a story from The Associated Press detailing the crimes Guzman had been convicted of, which included a number of drug trafficking and conspiracy charges that will result in his spending the remainder of his life behind bars in a U.S. maximum-security prison.
In a follow-up tweet, Cruz wrote, “It’s time to pass my EL CHAPO Act. I urge my Senate colleagues to take swift action on this crucial legislation.”
It’s time to pass my EL CHAPO Act. I urge my Senate colleagues to take swift action on this crucial legislation. #SecureTheBorder –> https://t.co/SndC56CiYz pic.twitter.com/5LgBuBSE26
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) February 12, 2019
That tweet included a link to Cruz’s Senate page where he discussed the reintroduction of his bill titled “Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order” — the EL CHAPO Act — which would reserve any assets and funds seized from Guzman or other convicted drug lords for explicit use for border security.
In the Jan. 3 news release marking the reintroduction of the bill at the start of the new session of Congress, Cruz said, “Congress has a clear mandate from the American people: secure the border and build the wall.”
“Ensuring the safety and security of Texans is one of my top priorities,” he continued. “Indeed, I have long called for building a wall as a necessary step in defending our border. Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way to secure our southern border, and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals.”
“By leveraging any criminally forfeited assets of El Chapo and other murderous drug lords, we can offset the cost of securing our border and make meaningful progress toward delivering on the promises made to the American people,” Cruz added.
The senator further noted that prosecutors were seeking the criminal forfeiture of all profits derived from Guzman’s illicit drug trafficking empire, estimated at upward of $14 billion.
It remains to be seen if prosecutors will be successful in seizing those assets, meaning the actual amount forfeited could be substantially less.
There is little doubt that Democrats opposed to the construction of any sort of barrier on the border will attempt or derail this effort, either during the legislative process or in the courts should the bill be passed and signed into law.
Regardless, this is an excellent idea. Hopefully, his fellow Republicans, and even some Democrats, will vote in favor of the bill, which Trump will most likely sign to fulfill his oft-mocked vow to make Mexico pay for the wall — at least in a roundabout way.
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