President Donald Trump redoubled a key campaign pledge Saturday saying Mexico will pay for his $18 billion proposed border wall.
At Camp David presser, when asked if there have been any more efforts to get Mexico to pay for a border wall: “Yeah, I believe Mexico will pay for the wall. I have a very good relationship with Mexico… Mexico will pay, in some form, Mexico will pay for the wall.” – @POTUS
— Mary Emily O’Hara (@MaryEmilyOHara) January 6, 2018
Trump will request Congress appropriate approximately $18 billion to begin construction on the wall, attempting to fulfill a core campaign issue. The president also emphasized that he will insist on border wall funding in any potential deal to save deferred action for childhood arrivals program (DACA).
The Obama era program issues work permits to illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and protects them from deportation. Trump ended the program in September and told Congress it had six months to act before it would expire, using his immigration priorities as a bargaining chip.
Trump’s proposed wall will install fencing on 316 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border and bolster security along the other 407 miles. The $18 billion appropriation will also go towards hiring more border security agents.