Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said she will reintroduce legislation known as the WALL Act on Thursday to appropriate $25 billion to finish construction of a barrier between the U.S. and Mexico.
"President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in the House and Senate have not just a mandate but an obligation to secure the border and protect American families," Britt said in a statement to The Daily Caller. "The United States needs a completed border wall — it is just common sense to have a physical barrier in place to ensure only lawful entry into our country."
Britt said wall construction funding would be paid for in part through the elimination of taxpayer-funded entitlement benefits for immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
Eliminating benefits would "further deter illegal migration," she added.
The bill's cosponsors include Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, James Risch, R-Idaho, and Mike Rounds, R-S.D.
"The WALL Act would ensure the completion of America's border wall without raising taxes on U.S. citizens or increasing the national debt by a single penny," Britt said. "It would accomplish this by eliminating taxpayer-funded entitlement benefits for illegal aliens, which would further deter illegal migration."
The legislation also imposes fines on immigrants who enter the country illegally or on people who overstay their visas, the bill text reads.
According to an analysis conducted in 2018 by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, the tax provisions in the bill could save American taxpayers $33 billion over a decade.
The act was initially introduced in the House in February 2024, when it also called for the appropriation of $25 billion for wall construction. Britt introduced the Senate's version of the legislation that year as part of a larger package seeking to secure the border while curtailing illegal immigration.
However, the bill did not advance, with Democrats, who controlled the chamber's majority, blocking the bill from being considered on the Senate floor last September.
The new WALL Act comes three days after Britt led Senate Republicans in passing the Laken Riley Act, which requires that illegal migrants who commit theft and other crimes be detained. The legislation advanced to Trump's desk.
Britt said the Laken Riley Act is a "monumental step" to protecting Americans, but "we can't stop there."
"With the introduction of the WALL Act, we're making it clear that we'll keep fighting to empower the Trump administration with the resources needed to make America safe again," she said.