Rep. Dana Rohrabacher from Orange County proposed Thursday that wealthy immigrants pay $1 million each for permanent visas to fund President Trump’s border wall.
Rohrabacher, a conservative Republican who has long opposed illegal immigration, said the U.S. could sell 50,000 visas a year to wealthy immigrant entrepreneurs for $1 million each.
Two Washington-based online publications reported the proposal was aimed at recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, but a staff member for Rohrabacher said that was incorrect.
The suggestion of charging wealthy immigrants was made during a meeting of House Republicans in which Speaker Paul Ryan is trying to prevent moderate Republicans from joining Democrats in forcing a vote on legislation to protect nearly 700,000 people who were brought to America as children.
On his website, Rohrabacher says he “vigorously opposes any attempt to legalize the status of millions of illegals” but called the DACA issue a “public heartache.”
Rohrabacher’s 48th District, which stretches along the coast from Laguna Beach to Seal Beach, is one targeted by Democrats to flip this year.
In Tuesday’s primary, the 15-term Congressman received only 30.2 percent of the vote and will likely face a Democrat in the November general election pending final results from mail ballots. Two Democrats each had 17.2 percent of the vote in the latest tally, followed by a Republican with 16.1 percent.
