Trump's proposed border wall has been described by many of the left as everything from "xenophobic" to just plain "racist" and pretty much everything in between. That said, perhaps "equal opportunity employer" would be more accurate in light of a new analysis from the Wall Street Journal that took a look at who has submitted bids to help construct the wall so far...in a little dose of irony for the left, hispanic-owned businesses currently lead the charge with 32 bids.
More than 200 companies have expressed interest in submitting plans to help design and build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, as the Trump administration seeks to fulfill a key campaign promise despite significant obstacles.
The companies, whose names were published on a federal contracting website, vary widely in size and capability—from construction giants like Kiewit Corp. to smaller, family-owned businesses.
Among those interested at this early stage are more than three dozen businesses owned by minorities, a Wall Street Journal analysis shows. Roughly 13% of the companies expected to submit proposals for the wall, for example, are owned by Hispanics.
One such immigrant-owned business bidding on the border wall is run by Mario Burgos whose father immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador.
Mario Burgos, the son of an immigrant, owns an Albuquerque, N.M., construction logistics company and plans to submit a proposal. He said he viewed the project as more geared toward border security than immigration, and a surefire way to boost employment in job-strapped New Mexico.
“I am not against immigrants by any stretch of the imagination,” said Mr. Burgos, whose father came to the U.S. from Ecuador. “There isn’t a country in the world that doesn’t have borders and doesn’t want to enforce them.”
Mr. Burgos noted that his company, Burgos Group LLC, which holds various defense contracts with federal agencies, has handled projects in southern New Mexico near the border and was familiar with operating in remote, rugged locations.
Meanwhile the owner of Helix Steel said he's not worried about the potential political fallout, saying "if fighting for American jobs is wrong, I’ll take that risk."
Other interested businesses have niche specialties, like Leesburg, Va.-based Helix Steel. Chief Executive Chris Doran said Helix’s products, which make concrete more resistant to blasts and other stresses, would suit what he called a “massive opportunity.”
Mr. Doran, whose company has about 50 employees, said he wasn’t concerned with fallout from participating in the project. “All I can say is I’m fighting for American jobs, and if fighting for American jobs is wrong, I’ll take that risk,” he said.
Of course, as we noted last week, just as Trump sent out RFP's for his impenetrable, yet "aesthetically pleasing", 30-foot border wall, Mexico's government warned Mexican companies that it would not be in their best "interests" to participate in the project even though there will be no explicit legal restrictions or sanctions to stop them if they tried. Per Reuters:
"We're not going to have laws to restrict (companies), but I believe considering your reputation it would undoubtedly be in your interest to not participate in the construction of the wall," said Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo.
"There won't be a law with sanctions, but Mexicans and Mexican consumers will know how to value those companies that are loyal to our national identity and those that are not," Guajardo added.
His comments echo those of Mexico's foreign minister Luis Videgaray, who said on Friday that Mexican companies that see a business opportunity in the wall should "check their conscience" first.
Seems like the list of 'racist' companies in this country is growing very quickly.