Kobach suggests blackmailing Mexico with the PATRIOT Act pay $10B now or lose $23Billion/year

[RandallFan]

As I have discussed with Mr. Trump, the PATRIOT Act contains a provision that the United States can and should use as leverage with the Government of Mexico. We have the ability to shut down the flow of remittances to Mexico from illegal aliens working in the United States. Mexico will then have to make a choice: either make a single payment of $5-10 billion to the United States to pay for the wall, or lose most of the $23 billion in remittances that Mexico receives every year from its nationals working illegally in the United States.

http://www.salon.com/2016/03/01/the...sts_blackmailing_mexico_with_the_patriot_act/

 

[timosman]

Seems logical. What's the fuss about?

 

[Chester Copperpot]

how you gonna stop illegals from sending money.. thats stupid on a couple levels.. that one and also the one where you start dictating to other countries...


trump will use diplomacy...

 

[Zippyjuan]

There is no way to differentiate between remittances sent by legal residents of the US and illegal immigrants. You can't just cut it off for illegals. Plus cutting them off encourages- not discourages- more illegal migration. Instead of say just a breadwinner coming to the US for work and sending money back to his family in Mexico, it gives more of an incentive to bring the entire family into the US. Total remittances to Mexico from the US came to $16.6 billion in 2015. Remittances also reduce poverty in Mexico. Cutting that off means more poor who may be encouraged to come to the US to find work- again increasing illegal migration.

Likewise, tighter border security encouraged more immigrants to stay in the US. They used to come, stay a while and make money and then return home. Since it is harder to come and go, they instead come and stay.

Beware of untended consequences.

 

[AuH20]

The Patriot Act saves the day? I never thought I would hear those words arranged together.

 

[FSP-Rebel]

If these workers were hip to Bitcoin, they'd have no problem continuing the flow of money back home.