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California Bill Would Blacklist Companies That Work On Trump Border Wall

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - California lawmakers are so against a proposed border wall with Mexico, they're prepared to issue an ultimatum: build it and be blacklisted.

The proposed law would ban state government contracts for companies who have any affiliation with the wall.

President Donald Trump's long promised border wall with Mexico doesn't yet have congressional approval or funding, but it's already got contractors vying to build it.

Rick Aguilar is one of those possible bidders. He's a Northern California contractor, who says the project isn't political, it's pay.

"If a contractor's contract is $300 million, he's gonna take 58% of that and give it out to small businesses," said Aguilar.

But the potentially lucrative job may turn out to be a greater loss if state Sen. Ricardo Lara has his way.

"What we're saying for businesses is to really think twice before you invest," said Lara.

Lara is proposing a law that would blacklist companies who help build a southern border wall. That includes any company that provides goods or services to the Trump administration, for the wall.

"If you want to be part Trump's wall, then you're going against California values and we don't want to do business with you," said Lara.

He says the state would ban companies from working on future state-funded projects, including recently approved repairs for road and bridges across California, a multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment.

"If a project is put out to bid, give us a chance to bid on it. Don't punish us for the type of work we do," said Felipe Fuentes.

Felipe Fuentes is an advocate for the Contractors of California. He's working on overdrive, to bulldoze the bill.

"We want to make sure that competitive bidding that has hundreds of years of precedent and history is fair," said Fuentes.

History is just what Lara hopes to impart, as he urges contractors to do a "gut check" before taking the job.

"To really kind of look into their hearts before they try to make a profit on the backs of people that belong here, that have always been here. people like my family, Mexican Americans…"

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