WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump announced Friday he’ll be declaring a national emergency along the southern border to get the funding to build a wall.
The move will allow him to bypass Congress to spend more money to erect barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Congress has given Trump about $1.4 billion for border barriers, well below the $5.7 billion Trump demanded to build the wall.
While speaking to reporters in the Rose Garden at the White House, Trump said he’d sign the bill although he wasn’t happy with it.
“Whether it’s $8 billion or $2 billion or $1.5 billion…it doesn’t matter…it’s going to build a lot of wall,” he said. Trump cited drug and crime stats along the border to make his case.
To get around Congress, Trump plans to use his executive authority to tap other sources of funding to get a total of $8 billion to build the wall.
The White House said Trump will tap accounts in the Treasury and Defense departments and leave money earmarked for disaster relief untouched.
In response to the declaration, Congress’ two top Democrats said they’ll use “every remedy available” to oppose Trump’s plan.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said they’ll take action “in the Congress, in the Courts, and in the public.”
They said Trump’s decision to declare an emergency is unlawful and that it would “shred the Constitution” by usurping Congress’ power to control spending.
Democrats can file lawsuits and force congressional votes to block Trump’s money transfers. Trump could veto the legislation should it pass.
Trump said he expects legal challenges and is ready for the battle.
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