A coalition of 16 attorneys general filed a lawsuit Monday against US President Donald Trump to block the declaration of “national emergency” with which the president seeks to raise funds to build the wall on the border with Mexico.
“We are suing President Trump to prevent him from unilaterally stealing taxpayer funds legally reserved by Congress for the people of our states,” California’s Attorney General, Democrat Xavier Becerra, announced on his Twitter account.
“For most of us, the Office of the Presidency is not a place for theater,” said Becerra, who accompanied his message with photographs of the lawsuit brought before the court of the Northern District of California.
Becerra had anticipated in statements to the CNN television network that it was “strange” to say that on Presidents’ Day they would sue the president of the United States, but argued that “sometimes it is the right thing to do.”
He referred to the national holiday this Monday in the US. and that commemorates the birth of George Washington, the first president of the country.
In a statement, the attorney general of New York, Letitia James, confirmed that the suit was joined, in addition to California and its state, their counterparts in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia.
James argued that declaring a national emergency when “it does not exist is immoral and illegal,” while warning that they will not tolerate “this abuse of power” and that they will fight “with every tool” they have at their disposal.
“The diversion of the necessary funds from real emergencies, anti-crime activities and military construction projects usurps the power of Congress and will harm Americans throughout the country,” he added.
The suit would initiate a judicial process that will probably drag on for several months, during which Trump’s decree is expected to remain blocked, so the White House could not use funds it has identified to build the border barrier.
The “national emergency” declaration allows US presidents access temporarily to a special power to face a crisis, and Trump signed it last Friday to ensure that there is an “invasion” of drugs and criminals on the border with Mexico that justifies extraordinary measures.
But, according to the New York attorney general’s office, the entry of illegal immigrants across the border into Mexico “is at its lowest point in 20 years,” and warned that “there is no credible evidence to suggest that a border wall would diminish crime rates. “
With the “national emergency”, Trump intends to collect 6.6 billion dollars deviated from various items already approved by Congress, which would be added to another 1.375 granted by the legislative power to build the border barrier.
The opposition Democrat considers that measure an “illegal” interference in the exclusive power of Congress to determine budgets, and the president already predicted on Friday that the battle for the issue will reach the Supreme Court.
The independent American Union for Civil Liberties (ACLU) organization also plans to sue Trump for his statement, according to an announcement made last Friday.
Meanwhile, the Democratic opposition plans to push a resolution aimed at invalidating Trump’s decree, but the president could veto it unless the lawmakers gather a majority of more than two-thirds in both houses.
Asked about the possibility of a presidential veto, White House adviser Stephen Miller assured this Sunday in an interview on the “Fox News Sunday” program that Trump will “protect” the decree. (EFEUSA) .-
