SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP & KSBY Staff) – California’s governor and attorney general say they will probably sue President Donald Trump over his emergency declaration to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra made the announcement Friday in the state capital.
Becerra says there is no emergency at the border and Trump doesn’t have the authority to make the declaration.
Trump declared a national emergency earlier in the day to fulfill his promise of completing the border wall.
During the live news conference Friday morning, Trump described how he expects the decision will be challenged and work its way through the courts, including up to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump says he shouldn’t be sued but predicts “we will be very successful in court.”
He added: “Sadly, we’ll be sued and sadly it will go through a process and happily we’ll win.”
The move allows the president to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets.
The anticipated announcement was met with resistance from some members of Congress including the Central Coast representative (D) – Salud Carbajal.
After failing to get Mexico and Congress to pay for his wall, the President is now attempting to exploit our military resources in order to fulfill a campaign promise to his base. This is irresponsible policy that sets a dangerous precedent.
— Rep. Salud Carbajal (@RepCarbajal) February 15, 2019
California has repeatedly challenged Trump in court. Becerra has filed at least 45 lawsuits against the administration.
The American Civil Liberties Union says it will file a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border.
The civil rights group will argue that Trump’s use of emergency powers is unprecedented and can’t be used to build a border wall.
ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero says the declaration is ‘patently illegal.’ Their legal action would be separate from anything Congress may do.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (puh-LOH’-see) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have also raised the possibility of legal action. They say Trump’s decision would “shred the Constitution” by usurping Congress’ power to control spending.
White House officials say some of the money would come from military construction projects.
(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
