WASHINGTON (AP) – Donald Trump would force Mexico to pay for a border wall by cutting off billions of dollars in remittances sent by immigrants living in the U.S., according to a published report Tuesday.
The Washington Post cited a two-page memo sent by the Republican presidential front-runner outlining how he would force Mexico to pay for the 1,000-mile wall if he becomes president.
In his proposal, Trump threatened to change a rule under the USA Patriot Act, an anti-terrorism law, to cut off funds sent to Mexico through money transfers known as remittances. Trump said he would withdraw the threat if Mexico makes “a one-time payment of $5-10 billion” to finance the wall, the newspaper reported.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, a nonprofit research organization, the U.S. is home to more than 12 million Mexicans, some living here illegally. They and other migrants use money transfer agents or banks to send money home, often with the objective of supporting their families.
The Mexican central bank reported that money sent home by Mexicans overseas hit nearly $24.8 billion last year, overtaking oil revenues for the first time as a source of foreign income. Cutting off those transfers would therefore represent a significant blow to the Mexican economy.