In an attempt to avoid a government shutdown over funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall, Texas Senator Ted Cruz has submitted a proposal for a bill that will use money forfeited from the criminal prosecution of drug lords such as the drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman for the purpose.
Currently, U.S. prosecutors are attempting to seize $14 billion worth of profits and assets from Guzman’s criminal activities.
“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.
Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will help keep Americans safe: https://t.co/6GOMaxrCBI
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 25, 2017
Cruz calls the bill the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order Act, or The EL CHAPO act for short. The Texas senator has created a petition to help garner support for the bill, stressing that El Chapo should be the one to fund it.
Build the wall and make El Chapo pay for it: https://t.co/6GOMaxrCBI pic.twitter.com/Eu5xUErI6g
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 25, 2017
Cruz has found support in fellow Republican Newt Gingrich, who called the bill’s intent a “grand and fitting irony.”
Ted Cruz is exactly right to focus on confiscating Mexican drug money to pay for the wall. What a grand and fitting irony.
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) April 25, 2017
Guzman, once head of the Sinaloa cartel, is currently awaiting federal trial after being extradited to the United States for attempting to move 500 tons of cocaine across the U.S. southern border.
near my name?