(The Center Square)— An Arizona bill proposes a tax credit to help construct more barricades along the United States-Mexico border in Arizona.
House Bill 2053 would allow landowners along the border to get a state tax credit for the “fair market value” for the amount of a parcel of land that is sold to the federal government.
According to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Alex Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, the legislation would prevent eminent domain issues.
“This bill will help the GOP fulfill its mandate from the American people to secure our border,” Kolodin told The Center Square in a statement. “It incentivizes private landowners to allow the federal government to use their land for border wall construction avoiding the costly, time consuming, and involuntary eminent domain process.”
The legislation comes at President-elect Donald Trump vows to resume construction of the wall, which President Joe Biden stopped at the start of his administration in 2021, with only a few exceptions since then.
“If the allowable tax credit exceeds the taxes otherwise due under this title on the claimant’s income, or if there are no taxes due under this title, the taxpayer may carry the amount of the claim not used to offset the taxes under this title forward for not more than five consecutive taxable years’ income tax liability,” the legislation states.
Since Biden took office, the Grand Canyon State has been a hub for illegal crossings and numerous gaps still remain at the physical border. Proponents of finishing the wall argue it’s a necessary tool and deterrent for illegal immigration and cartel activity, whereas opponents raise questions about its effectiveness as well as ecological impacts.
An asylum claims cap Executive Order from Biden last year did result in an overall drop in crossings, but critics argue the damage was already done after years of more open border policies compared with Trump.
U.S. and Border Protection data indicated that roughly 565,000 people crossed into Arizona illegally in fiscal year 2024 through the Tucson and Yuma sectors, The Center Square reported.
If the bill passes the Republican-majority legislature, it’s unknown if Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs would sign or veto it.