The United States has pledged nearly $11 billion in aid for Central America and southern Mexico but will not spend $5 billion on a border wall for our own country.
The pledge comes as the White House has indicated they are willing to relax their position on seeking the $5 billion for the wall.
The aid packages – $5.8 billion for economic development and strengthening government in Central America, and an additional $4.8 billion for development aid to Mexico – are an attempt to improve security and job opportunities in those regions.
Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard celebrated the announcement as “very good news for Mexico.”
BREAKING: The Trump administration has pledged $5.8 billion in aid and investment for strengthening government and economic development in Central America, and an additional $4.8 billion in development aid for southern Mexico.
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 18, 2018
“I have a dream that I want to see become a reality … that nobody will want to go work in the United States anymore,” proclaimed new Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
We are $22 trillion in debt and can’t fund a wall, but we can dole out $11 billion in welfare to foreign countries
All well and good, but if the U.S. has $11 billion to throw around, why not use $5 billion of it to build a wall that the American people have demanded since President Trump came on the scene, then maybe use the extra $6 billion to aid these regions in an attempt to keep migrants from heading to the border?
Or better yet, maybe once the border is secured, use the extra funding for a program to provide job opportunities for veterans instead?
Ebrard had previously suggested a package of $25 billion while the Associated Press notes that “it (is) unclear if Mexico would give anything in return.”
$10.6 billion for “aid” south of the border…
…but @NancyPelosi and @SenSchumer refuse to provide money for a wall to keep our borders secure.
Let that sink in for a moment. ?https://t.co/e1HGFsn8ua
— The American Workplace (@WorkPlaceRpt) December 19, 2018
President Trump vows to find other ways to fund the wall
While funding relief efforts in Central America and Mexico before a border wall has been built seems contrary to everything the President stands for, Trump has vowed to use means other than a congressional spending package to fund his efforts.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders stated, “We have other ways that we can get to that $5 billion that we’ll work with Congress.”
Those other means include asking Cabinet secretaries to locate sources of funding within their departments or using military funds in order to finance the construction of the wall.
White House @PressSec on border wall funding and avoiding a government shutdown: “We are looking at every avenue available to us possible. The President has asked every one of his Cabinet secretaries to look for funding that can be used to protect our borders” pic.twitter.com/4ysRglWq94
— Kyle Morris (@RealKyleMorris) December 18, 2018
Democrats must be livid at the expense!
Surely Democrats are livid over this pledge for $11 billion in economic aid to Central America and Mexico.
After all, they thought $5 billion to secure the border was an extreme waste of money.
“$5 billion for President Trump’s wasteful wall is too much money,” said Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY).
“It’s the wrong thing to do,” added House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. ” It doesn’t work. It’s not effective. It’s the wrong thing to do and it’s a waste of money.”
If they’re offended at the thought of securing the border for $5 billion, then they’ll go to war over this nearly $11 billion aid package, correct? Or does throwing money at the region and continuing to allow illegal immigrants to overrun the border appeal to the Democrat Party desperately seeking support and votes from their base to defeat the President in 2020?
No matter how you look at it, this appears to be an unforced error on the President’s part, inflicting damage to himself especially if his core promise of building a border wall goes unrealized heading into the election.