Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville

A state lawmaker wants Mississippi to pitch in and help build the wall between Mexico and the U.S. that Donald Trump proposed during his campaign.

Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 50, which urges lawmakers to donate $1 million to build “the great wall” along America’s southern border.

President Trump, during his White House run, advocated for building a wall to increase border security and said Mexico would pay for it. Last week, Trump signed an executive order directing the construction of a wall on the 2,000-mile border.

The text of Holland’s resolution states: “The political leadership of the State of Mississippi should make a donation to the great wall cause to ensure that such a wall is not merely a fence, but the greatest wall the world has ever seen.”

The resolution adds that the gift should be made “in evidence of the red state’s (Mississippi) support for the erection of the great wall” and that Mississippi should urge other states to follow suit.

Holland told reporters weeks ago that he planned to introduce such a measure, but the legislation just posted the Legislature’s website in the past day or two.

The resolution was referred to the House Rules Committee.

Holland is a self-described liberal and known prankster. In 2012, amid legislative debate over tougher state immigration laws, he filed legislation to change then name of waters off the Mississippi coast from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.


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Ryan L. Nave, a native of University City, Mo., served as Mississippi Today's editor-in-chief from May 2018 until April 2020. Ryan began his career with Mississippi Today February 2016 as an original member of the editorial team. He became news editor August 2016. Ryan has a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has worked for Illinois Times and served as news editor for the Jackson Free Press.