16 US states sue Trump administration in border wall showdown
- Donald Trump’s emergency declaration Friday shifts billions of dollars from military construction to the border
A coalition of 16 US states led by California sued President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday over his decision to declare a national emergency to obtain funds for building a wall along the US-Mexico border.
The lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Northern District of California came just days after Trump invoked emergency powers on Friday after Congress declined to fulfil his request for US$5.7 billion to help build the wall that was his signature 2016 campaign promise.
His move aims to let him spend money appropriated by Congress for other purposes.
“Today, on Presidents Day, we take President Trump to court to block his misuse of presidential power,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
“We’re suing President Trump to stop him from unilaterally robbing taxpayer funds lawfully set aside by Congress for the people of our states. For most of us, the Office of the Presidency is not a place for theatre,” added Becerra, a Democrat.
Three Texas landowners and an environmental group filed the first lawsuit against Trump’s move on Friday, saying it violates the Constitution and would infringe on their property rights.