Posted on 04/05/2016 7:16:56 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Donald Trump would force Mexico to pay for a border wall by threatening to cut off billions of dollars in remittances sent by immigrants living in the U.S., according to a memo released by his campaign Tuesday.
The memo outlines how Trump would try to compel Mexico to pay for a 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. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Actually he said they would pay or he would do this, they will pay or it will cost them more so don't be so dense.
While I appreciate your viewpoint, and you’re quite correct, a presidential order banning remittances to Mexico would be worth less than the paper it was printed on (or the ink used to sign it...) However, a finding that remittances to Mexico are tax evasion, support to drug cartels, and support to terrorism would immediately kick in the Patriot Act’s sanctions against such a country.
And while I’m sure that there will be some judge who would issue an injunction, it would be swiftly overturned. It would require an act of congress to specifically exempt Mexico from that rule (and a host of others.) If the GOP has the slightest backbone (and sense to let Trump take the heat for it), Mexico would build that wall.
It is essentially the exact same plan liberals were floating, declaring Israel a safe harbor for terrorists and cutting off all remittances and payments to and from there.
Tell that to the millions whose tax refunds will be withheld to cover Obamacare fines.
Hasn't Donald Trump also said that he would have all the illegal Mexican immigrants removed from the country within two years? So in considerably less than five years you will have no remittances left to tax. Or best case scenario only a fraction of the $24.8 billion worth.
Mostly through cooperating banks and governments. Maybe he could try enforcing a few laws that the insiders have been dodging.
And we can just tax the heck out of these payments, encouraging the illegals to take it there in person.
Just because they can "grab your money" in some contexts do not mean they can "grab your money" in any context they want. If you think that, you're ignorant of the way the law works.
So again, which specific provision of the Patriot Act do you contend would give the President the power to tax all remittances to Mexico?
NOT this time, Bud! Mexico is going to pay for the wall, one way or the other!
I would say we could and definitely should apply pressure to the states that allow sanctuary cities to exist as well. There can be no sanctuary for invaders.
Nope! Mexico pays for it all! Mexico is the offender. The wall is a defense of our sovereignty that GLOBALISTS want to destroy. Cruz is in the tank with the NWO. We need Trump to keep America American!
You think the Palestinians are helping Israel build their walls?
It's evident that Trump is tossing the "how" around...but Mexico will pay.
Amazing how many experts on the Patriot Act we have around here. It’s a regular three piece suit convention.
First it was said Trump had no plan. Now many of the same yelpers are saying disregard previous transmission, but listen to them on their intricate knowledge of a sweeping law. They conveniently forget that this law gave broad powers to the executive branch to regulate banking activity. Hint: wire transfers are banking activity. The nexus of wire transfers with laundering profits from illegal drug activity would be enough to survive court challenges. And long overdue, regardless of the wall issue.
“Know your customer” has been winked at before. I love it that the Paul Ryan crowd who had little concern about the PA’s imposition on the rights of law abiding citizens will now have to rail against the unfairness of imposing similar requirements on illegals. Hey Paul, time for another plea from GOPe to acknowledge the party’s need for Mexican votes, isn’t it?
Not my claim. I just said that Mexico will say NO. And then it will be up to President Trump. Good luck with that.
And I would assume that an industry will be developed to facilitate the transfer of funds to Panama or wherever and then on to Mexico. Or the money will just move by donkey. In any case there is really nothing that I can see to motivate the Mexican government to accept the Trump Deal. He will look foolish if he tries it. Fortunately, he is unlikely to get the chance.
But any such "finding" would be subject to legal challenge, and the problem is that Trump is talking about a blanket tax on all remittances. That logically precludes any legitimate finding that the tax is affecting only tax evasion, support to drug cartels, or support to terrorism. You can come up with a thousand legitimate money-transfer scenarios that aren't any of those.
I could just hear the oral argument. "So, if an American missionary is working in a Christian school in Yucatan, and his church wires him money for living expenses, the government can take 40% of that right off the top because it is money that is supporting terrorism, drug cartels, or tax evasion, without any showing that any of those actually apply to this particular transaction?" "uh....yes." "Thank you. We have no further questions."
Perhaps you could find one loony district court judge to accept that argument, though I'd bet against that. But you'd lose unanimously in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. per curiam.
Wanna bet? There are many ways Mexico can be held to the fire. Mexico WILL pay for the wall!
It actually is and the Mexican government is extremely nervous that the American government might actually get serious about this sort of thing. Remittances are among the major sources of income for the Country of Mexico. It is one of their greatest sources of hard currency.
Wire transfers alone constitute over $30 billion a year.
All mail leaving the country could be scanned to see if it contained cash and suspect mail could be opened by court order. U.S> Banknotes are printed in a magnetic ink that allows for scanning to verify their authenticity. Transfer points at U.S. Postal services could be equipped to scan letters and packages. Those that show potential to carry U.S. Currency could be opened through blanket court warrants. Unregistered transfers of large quantities of U.S. bank notes is illegal. As a group a case could be made that a thirty billion dollar transfer of dollars constitutes a massive conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and it’s citizens.
The U.S is a sovereign nation and owes Mexico nothing. We certainly owe them nothing considering they are the worst of neighbors and should be punished for their unneighborly attitude.
You’ve conveniently forgotten about that billions those illegals cost us in goods and services which will no longer be a drain on our economy. That lone is BIG BUCKS.
Funny, assuming that I do not know the law. However the fact is nothing he proposed was not already allowed under existing laws already - at minimum under the drug laws and/or the tax laws for money going out of country.
How so? Why would a president standing up for American sovereignty look foolish?
Because the Liberals and Cuckservatives say it is impossible?
But that is money from U.S. taxpayers and not Mexican ones. If you devote your savings from that to the wall then aren't you paying for it and not Mexico?
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