Pro-Trump group to debut latest ad in $1M push for border wall

A political nonprofit aiming to boost President Trump’s policies is set to debut a new ad on Monday calling on lawmakers to fund his long-promised wall along the U.S. southern border.

The $500,000 ad buy is the second from America First Policies this month, seeking to put pressure on Congress to get behind the border wall project. Together, the ads have cost the group $1 million so far. 

{mosads}The latest spot features Michelle Root, whose daughter was killed in 2016 in a car crash allegedly caused by an immigrant in the country without legal status. In the ad, Root suggests that building the border wall would prevent future tragedies, while alluding to the administration’s controversial former policy of separating migrant families at the border.

“My separation is permanent,” she says in the 30-second spot. “I want to see that wall built. I want to see stronger immigration laws. Make your voice heard. Call your congressman and your senators.”

The ad comes nearly three weeks after Democrats recaptured the House in the midterm elections, giving them a majority in the chamber for at least the next two years.

The party needed to gain at least 23 seats to recapture control of the House. So far, Democrats have picked up 38 seats.

The ad from America First Policies also comes as a deadline for lawmakers to fund the government is just two weeks away.

Trump wants Congress to approve at least $5 billion in funding for his border wall, while Senate Democrats have said that they will offer no more than $1.6 billion.  

The border wall was a key part of Trump’s messaging on the campaign trail. But lawmakers and independent think tanks have questioned the efficacy of a proposed border wall, arguing that it would ultimately fail to significantly stymie illegal border crossings, while costing the government billions of dollars.

Tax disclosures made available earlier this month show that in its first year in operation, America First Policies raised more than $22 million and spent roughly $4.3 million on political campaign activity expenditures. 

A copy of the return was posted online by the Center for Responsive Politics. 

As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, America First Policies is not required to disclose its donors. But its tax filing shows that it raised money from 33 contributors in its first year, including two anonymous donors who gave $4.5 million and $5 million, respectively.

The filing also shows the group paid nearly $2.8 million to Parscale Strategy, the firm run by Trump’s campaign manager Brad Parscale, and roughly $662,000 to The Polling Company, the polling firm founded by White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and now owned by the conservative CRC Public Relations.