SuperTalk Mississippi News

Hyde-Smith cosponsors bill to complete wall on U.S.-Mexico border

By Kelly Bennett

Legislation that would fully fund completion of the U.S.-Mexico border wall is being cosponsored by Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The WALL Act of 2021 (S.3146) would pay for the fencing by ending federal funding currently spent for entitlement benefits and tax credits for illegal immigrants.

It would levy a $3-thousand minimum fine on every illegal entry into the U.S., and a $300-dollar fee on every illegal immigrant working and filing taxes in this country. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) has projected this legislation would result in savings of more than $33 billion, offsets that are more than enough to cover the $25 billion cost of the wall.

Hyde-Smith serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

“It’s evident President Biden doesn’t have any intention of enforcing our immigration laws and is instead signaling that the border is open,” Hyde-Smith said. “We need the WALL Act to begin to get U.S. border security back on track. The fact that this bill is fully offset by clamping down on the abuse of benefits programs that shouldn’t go to those who are here illegally.”

Introduced by U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), S.3146 has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee, where it awaits further action.