California and 15 other states filed a lawsuit on Monday against US President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration to fund a wall on the US-Mexico border. California Attorney-General Xavier Becerra said the suit alleges that the Trump administration’s action violates the constitution.
“President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt,” Becerra said.
“He knows there is no border crisis, he knows his emergency declaration is unwarranted, and he admits that he will likely lose this case in court.”
Joining California in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys-general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia. All the states involved have Democratic attorneys-general.
Trump declared a national emergency to fulfil his promise of completing the wall. The move allows the president to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets. The states say diversion of military funding to wall-building will hurt their economies and deprive their military bases of needed upgrades.
They say taking away funds from counter-drug efforts for the wall will also cause damage. California and New Mexico, two states bordering Mexico, say the wall will harm wildlife.
“President Trump is manufacturing a crisis in order to seize power and undermine the constitution. This 'emergency' is a national disgrace,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. AP African News Agency (ANA)