Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday introduced the "EL CHAPO Act," which proposes using billions of dollars in forfeited assets seized from notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to help fund the border wall, Axios reports.
The wall could cost up to $21.6 billion according to an internal Homeland Security report published in February. President Donald Trump originally said Mexico would foot the bill for the cost, but Mexico has made clear it has no intention of spending money on it.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Tuesday said Trump was still determined to make Mexico pay, but that he would proceed first with American tax dollars "in order to get the ball rolling."
"But he would make sure that that promise would be kept as far as the payment of it," Spicer said.
The U.S. is seeking $14 billion from Guzman which would "go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals across our southern border," Cruz said.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.