Do You Support Lawsuits Against Trump’s Border Wall Funding Order?

What’s the story?

• The U.S. House of Representatives is suing to block President Donald Trump from taking billions of dollars from federal programs and diverting the funds toward building barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“The House is unaware of any other instance in American history where a President has declared a national emergency to obtain funding after failing to win Congressional approval for an appropriation,” the lawsuit reads.

What are both sides saying?

• “The president’s action clearly violates the Appropriations Clause by stealing from appropriated funds, an action that was not authorized by constitutional or statutory authority,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in a statement.
• U.S. Attorney General William Barr said the president’s “declaration of an emergency on the southern border was clearly authorized under the law and consistent with past precedent.” Speaking at the White House last month, AG Barr explained:

"The National Emergencies Act directly authorizes the President, and gives broad discretionary authority to the President, to identify and respond to emergent circumstances that require a decisive response. And the humanitarian and security crisis we have on the border right now is exactly the kind of emergency that Presidents are permitted to address under the National Emergencies Act."

What do you think?

Do you support Trump’s national emergency declaration? Or do you support legal efforts to shut it down? Take action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

 (Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore via Twitter)