Trump would raise visa fees to pay for Mexican border wall

[Ron_TN]

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would increase fees on some Mexican visas and all border crossing cards as part of a broader plan to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the southern US border.

Trump, the frontrunner in a crowded Republican field, has made immigration a central plank of his campaign. On NBC's "Meet the Press," he said he would deport all undocumented immigrants and rescind US President Barack Obama's executive orders on immigration. The orders, if enacted, could protect as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation.

In a policy paper issued on Sunday, Trump said he would increase fees on temporary visas for Mexican chief executives, diplomats and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) workers if Mexico does not agree to pay for the wall. The NAFTA agreement of 1994 eliminated most tariff and other barriers to free trade and investment between the United States, Canada and Mexico. It permits the temporary cross-border movement of business travellers within the region.

Trump said he would also impound all remittance payments derived from illegal wages and increase fees at ports of entry from Mexico. Foreign aid cuts and tariffs would also be considered. "The Mexican government has taken the United States to the cleaners," he said. "They are responsible for this problem, and they must help pay to clean it up."

Mexico's foreign ministry declined to comment directly on Trump's proposals but said in an emailed statement that Mexicans make a significant contribution to the United States economy, and that net migration between the two countries reached zero in 2012. Trump began his campaign in June by saying Mexico is sending its criminals and rapists to the U.S. The comment sparked outrage from Hispanic civil rights groups and others.

In his new position paper, Trump said he would triple the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and pay for the increase by eliminating tax credit payments to illegal immigrants.
He would also increase penalties for people who overstay their visas and end the policy of giving automatic citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants.

Applicants seeking to enter the U.S. would have to certify that they could pay for their own housing, healthcare and other needs, he said, and he would raise the bar for the admission of refugees and asylum-seekers.
Trump said he would also place the issuing of green cards to foreign workers on pause so employers would have to hire from the domestic pool of unemployed workers.

"This will help reverse women's plummeting workplace participation rate, grow wages, and allow record immigration levels to subside to more moderate historical averages," he said.

 

"HE GOT MY VOTE"  The man got ba**s  They are scared of him because he wil get the job done and they know it!.

[Caster]

If he could really DO it, more power to him. Deport every illegal here. I'm all for it.

[MacGyver]

There are 1954 miles of border with Mexico.

We issued 61,520 visas to Mexicans last year.

Simple math will illustrate the problem with this proposal.

[Ugly]

There are 1954 miles of border with Mexico.

Simple math will illustrate the problem with this proposal.

What is that? We put a man on the moon but we can't build a fence?

[MacGyver]

What is that? We put a man on the moon but we can't build a fence?

I'm sure you could string some barbed wire up. I'm just suggesting that this proposal should likely be viewed from a pandering perspective as opposed to an actual policy persoective.

[MacGyver]

And, it might be worth discussing whether or not a fence or a wall represents an actual tool or if instead it's a political prop. In some cases these folks are traveling dozens of miles across inhospitable terrain. Do we really believe a couple of strands of wire - or even a larger fence will actually turn folks around?

[bud]

. Edited August 25, 2015 by bud

[BrasilNuts]

I was going to say the Great Wall of China is 13,000 miles long and we rounded up 120,000 people and put them in internment camp in WWII, but you make a good point about the terrain these people cross.

A couple of strands of wire wouldn't do it either.

I suggest two barbed wire fences... with a mine field in between them.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Here is a plan that solves two problems.

 

First change our tax code to a flat tax on all purchases. This would generate a lot more income than our current system. It would get those here illegally, the drug dealers, those on the government tit and anyone else who doesn't report their income now.

 

And part of the flat tax would be to get rid of the IRS then move all IRS agents to the border between us and Mexico. With 110,000 agents now on the border that means we can put an agent on the ground every 100 yards around the clock.

 

And honestly as much as I hate, and despise any type of war, a war between Mexico and the US would be the best thing for the US. At least then we will use our military power and strength to secure the border rather than a few strands of barbed wire that doesn't stop anyone. When, not if, we get attacked in a major way it will be by people who have crossed our southern border to get here and part of keeping the bad guys out also keeps out all others which would help Americans get the jobs they need to survive and thrive.

[Grand Torino]

What is that? We put a man on the moon but we can't build a fence?

The Chinese built The Great Wall centuries ago. I can't believe we couldn't built a spectacular wall today. Perhaps some of those able bodied welfare recipients could lend a hand....just sayin'. It's something we need like road and bridge repair instead of some of the stupid crap we spend our tax money on. Just a thought.

[bud]

. Edited August 25, 2015 by bud

[monkeylizard]

What is that? We put a man on the moon but we can't build a fence?

 

Mac's math shows that we only issues 31.48 visas per mile that would need to be walled. Think about how much the fee increase would have to be on each visa to cover that cost entirely from increased fees. Mac's right. The math just doesn't work to make this wall and pay for it with visa fees.

[Caster]

No country can stop ALL illegal immigration but God knows we could certainly do better. Deporting illegals caught instead of releasing them with food stamps and welfare would certainly be a first step.

[Hozzie]

There are 1954 miles of border with Mexico.

We issued 61,520 visas to Mexicans last year.

Simple math will illustrate the problem with this proposal.

 

While I agree with the exact logic, I also don't expect a 1 year payback, or even that we have to completely fund it via this means.  Heck, make it a 20 year payback (1.225 million visas) and we pay for some ourselves.  I am ok with that as well.  At least he is willing to do something besides allow them all to stay so they can eventually vote.

[LagerHead]

There are 1954 miles of border with Mexico.

We issued 61,520 visas to Mexicans last year.

Simple math will illustrate the problem with this proposal.

 

Here is the simple math: You build a 10 foot wall, they will bring an 11 foot ladder. ;)

[gregintenn]

There are 1954 miles of border with Mexico.

We issued 61,520 visas to Mexicans last year.

Simple math will illustrate the problem with this proposal.

If you look at a map, you'll find that the more of what is now Mexico we occupy, the shorter the wall needs to be. :D Just a thought....

[MacGyver]

If you look at a map, you'll find that the more of what is now Mexico we occupy, the shorter the wall needs to be. :D Just a thought....

And people think fences are expensive... Empire probably makes fencing look cheap ;)

Texas has been talking about a fence for years - only they're talking about putting it on the northern border.

[GlockSpock]

No country can stop ALL illegal immigration but God knows we could certainly do better. Deporting illegals caught instead of releasing them with food stamps and welfare would certainly be a first step.

 

Could we maybe offer a 3/5 compromise? For every 5 welfare receipients (citizen or not) that we deport we can keep 3 hardworking "illegals" and make them taxpaying citizens?

[gregintenn]

Seriously, Phil Valentine has the right idea on the illegal immigration issue in my opinion. You don't deport anyone. You simply "demagnetize" the United States. This means you make penalties so tough for doing business with illegals that no one will hire them or trade with them, and they'll deport themselves.

[Ugly]

We give Mexico 50+ mil a year, we could use that money to build a border fence. Add Dolo's 110,000 its agents to man it and we're golden.

 

Make it cost prohibitive to hire illegals, and stop handouts and they will not come here and would leave. 

[Mike.357]

you do know that most of the IRS employees are middle aged people like me and you.  None of us are standing a post on the Mexican border.

[bersaguy]

Trump is beginning to sound like a politician. He is making promises on many things he will never be able to get done if elected. You have to have a Senate and Congress that will work with you to achieve many of the goals Trump talks about what he plans on doing. back in 2008 I heard a bunch of promises from another guy and he got elected and all he has done is divide our great Country and do his best to bankrupt it. He lied about everything he said he would do.

 

 

Back when I was about 7 yrs old my grandmother would ask me what I wanted for breakfast and I always said pancakes. She would put a stack of pancakes in front of me that 3 people my age could never eat. When I was almost to full to move and half the pancakes were still on the plate she said I was like a politician and my eyes were bigger than my stomach. As I listen to Trump I think his mouth is bigger than his abilities to do what he says.Yes he does sound good about his plans  but so did the guy in the Oval office at the present time. I still would vote for him if he gets the nomination but I hope he can get 1/3 of what he promises done his first term ........jmho

[btq96r]

Seriously, Phil Valentine has the right idea on the illegal immigration issue in my opinion. You don't deport anyone. You simply "demagnetize" the United States. This means you make penalties so tough for doing business with illegals that no one will hire them or trade with them, and they'll deport themselves.

 

Any immigration plan that doesn't start with this is doomed to fail.  Until we start putting people who knowingly hire illegals in jail and close their businesses, we're just asking for the problem to continue.

[Randall53]

How about this....We round up all of the illegal alliens, deport mama, old folks, babies and little ones. Everybody else of working age builds the wall for room and board. Build it from the Mexico side of the wall and The crew that sweeps up walks south and we're done.  

[bersaguy]

I really think if all the freebies were to stop all at once you would see an Exodus of Biblical proportions going south or a crime rate that goes through the roof................It's time to suck it up and quit being so soft and get rid of humanitarianism and political correctness. Tell all the Tree Huggers they can hug trees in Mexico if they don't agree with the new program. We have many Americans that need to also be removed from that Government teat also. They can either take the jobs that will be opening up on big farms or they can go hungry. Most of them are drug dealers or drug addicts. Do drug testing before any Americans get any help while looking for work..............jmho