Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Britt will reintroduce legislation Thursday to secure the southern border.
The bill, known as the WALL Act, would appropriate $25 billion to complete the construction of a border wall at the southern border, fulfilling a long-time goal of President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers. Britt’s legislation would be paid for in part by eliminating taxpayer-funded entitlements for illegal migrants and does not increase the national debt, according to background on the bill exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in the House and Senate have not just a mandate but an obligation to secure the border and protect American families,” Britt told the DCNF in a statement. “The United States needs a completed border wall — it is just commonsense to have a physical barrier in place to ensure only lawful entry into our country.”
“The WALL Act would ensure the completion of America’s border wall without raising taxes on U.S. citizens or increasing the national debt by a single penny,” Britt added. “It would accomplish this by eliminating taxpayer-funded entitlement benefits for illegal aliens, which would further deter illegal migration.”
The bill’s tax provisions would save American taxpayers $33 billion over 10 years, according to analysis conducted by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation in 2018. The WALL Act would also impose fines on migrants who enter the United States illegally or on foreign nationals that overstay their visas, according to the bill text.
The bill’s cosponsors include Republican Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming, Ted Cruz of Texas, James Risch of Idaho and Mike Rounds of South Dakota.
Britt introduced the WALL Act during the 118th Congress as part of a broader legislative package to secure the southern border and curtail illegal immigration, but the bill did not advance out of the formerly Democratic-controlled Senate. Britt’s Democratic colleagues blocked the bill from being considered on the Senate floor in September 2024.
Britt’s reintroduction of legislation to fund the construction of a completed southern border wall comes just three days after the Alabama Republican successfully led Senate Republicans in passing the Laken Riley Act Monday with significant bipartisan support in the upper chamber.
The Laken Riley Act requires the detention of illegal migrants who commit theft-related and other criminal offenses in the United States, and advanced out of the House to Trump’s desk Wednesday.
“The Laken Riley Act is a monumental step in protecting American families and communities. However, we can’t stop there,” Britt told the DCNF. “With the introduction of the WALL Act, we’re making it clear that we’ll keep fighting to empower the Trump Administration with the resources needed to make America safe again.”
Britt is currently serving in her first Senate term and is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and chair of the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee.
Trump issued an array of executive orders during the first days of his presidency to secure the southern border and target illegal immigration, including reinstating the “remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers and designating Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
