A border lawmaker had drawn up a plan to pay for the wall in part by fining Mexico and other countries $2,000 for every illegal immigrant caught crossing into the United States.

Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, who has made is mark on Washington in just his first term, is pushing a plan that includes the tax on illegals and other ways to pay for the border wall demanded by President Trump.

With up some 400,000 illegal immigrants being apprehended at the border yearly, his tax could raise $800 million a year. Immigration groups claim that an equal amount of illegal immigrants get into the U.S. annually.

The border wall could cost up to $25 billion.

The legislative proposal by Biggs, titled the Fund and Complete the Border Wall Act, also calls for full construction to begin next year and for some money go to the U.S. Border Patrol. It suggests these changes and taxes:



Penalizes foreign aid to Mexico and other countries by $2,000 for every illegal alien that is apprehended. The held back funds are redirected to the border wall fund.

Charges a fee for all money transfers when receivers are outside the United States. Collected fees go to the border wall fund.

Increases I-94 fees from $6 to $25. The higher fees fund Border Patrol salaries and the border wall fund.

Provides regulatory relief from burdensome actions that could be used to prevent wall construction.

Restores overtime pay for Border Patrol at same rate as all other DHS law enforcement agencies (restoring Fair Labor Standards Act).

Other funding ideas have been pushed by the administration, including taxing money immigrants send home to family.

Said Biggs in a statement: “Even with a Republican-controlled House and Senate, we have failed to secure the funds for the border wall. In the meantime, our Border Patrol agents suffer demoralizing losses of resources and personnel. Some in Congress view border security as leverage for an amnesty deal, but that would turn a crisis into a catastrophe.

“This is why I introduced the ‘Fund and Complete the Border Wall Act.’ We must keep our promises to the American people. We must fund, start, and complete the border wall without further delay. I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.”

[Also read: Government accountability watchdog scolds Customs and Border Protection over border wall prototype evaluation]