US President Donald Trump has signed the necessary statement to declare a national emergency on the southern border of the US, thereby earmarking funds for the construction of a boundary wall between the US and Mexico. His opponents and opponents speak of „grave abuse of power“ and „constitutional break“.
The White House released the emergency declaration on Friday afternoon (local time). It states, among other things: „The current situation at the southern border means a border security and humanitarian crisis that threatens key national security interests and constitutes a national emergency.“
According to the White House on Friday, Trump can now draw on funds totaling about eight billion dollars, of which he can use large parts for the construction of a border fortification. Included are $ 1.375 billion from the budget, which may be used for border security, but not for the construction of a wall or a fence.
US subjected to an „invasion“
Trump spoke in an address to the White House on Friday about an „invasion“ to which the US was exposed. Drug smugglers, human smugglers and criminal gangs tried to invade the US, the Republican president said Friday in the White House Rose Garden. The audience included parents of victims of violence who were allegedly killed by illegally arrived migrants. They kept pictures of their children.
Whether the security crisis described by Trump at the border actually exists, is highly controversial. Trump criticized the Democrats claiming that most drugs would come through regular border crossings. „That’s a lie.“ Trump added, „They say walls do not work. Walls work one hundred percent. “
The White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney said the money guarantees that „we can do what we want to do“. That meant first the construction of 234 miles of border fortification.
Money from the Ministry of Defense
The national emergency is Trump’s last resort to enforce the wall he promised in the campaign. Parliamentary he had failed with the project, although he had taken for the 35 days longest government stalemate in US history in purchasing.
The declaration of emergency allows him to raise funds without parliamentary approval in order to finance the project. According to the White House, the bulk of the $ 6 billion worth of money is coming from the Department of Defense, which provided funds for construction and drug-related operations. In addition, revenue from seizures of the Ministry of Finance will be used.
Democrats „prepared“ for legal action
The Democrats vehemently criticized the declaration of emergency and spoke of abuse of power. The House MP, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Democratic faction leader Chuck Schumer, described Trump’s actions as an attack on the Constitution and the parliamentary authority of the Congress. It is the unlawful step of a president who can not enforce his goals within the limits of the legislative process. Pelosi and Schumer said before Trump’s speech that a declaration of emergency would be „an unlawful act“ and „a serious abuse of power“ by the president.
Trump’s spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said they were prepared for legal action but were not supposed to. „The president does his job, the congress should do his part.“ With the declaration of emergency, Trump wants to ensure „that we stop the national security crisis and humanitarian crisis at the border.“ Pelosi emphasized that the situation at the border was not a state of emergency.
New York wants to challenge a declaration of calamity
„Hopefully we’ll get a fair chance and win in the Supreme Court,“ Trump said of the upcoming litigation. Even while his appearance in front of the press continued, the state of New York announced that it wanted to challenge the declaration of necessity in court.
The declaration „without legitimate reason“ could lead to a „constitutional crisis“, said the Attorney General Letitia James, who belongs to the Democratic Party. New York would not tolerate such an „abuse of power“ and use all legal means.
Emergency declaration is „great thing“
Legal experts in the US are divided on whether Trump’s approach is constitutional. While some affirm it, others point out that Trump is undermining Congress’s centuries-old control over the finances of the federal budget. Even some Republicans, including Senate leader Mitch McConnell, are said to have warned Trump against impermissible power expansion, according to the New York Times.
At the legislative level, Democrats are working on decisions to prevent Trump’s access to certain budget pots for the construction of the Wall. Trump said that, in view of the criticism of the announced emergency declaration, numerous other presidents had signed such declarations before him. „They sign them, nobody cares.“ The declaration of calamity was „a great thing.“
New household lock avoided
The wall dispute had led to a crippling conflict over the state budget in Congress. The result was a five-week bailout for part of the federal government over the turn of the year – it was the longest „shutdown“ in US history.
On Thursday evening (local time) then adopted both chambers of Parliament, a new budget that Trump wanted to sign on Friday to avoid a new budget blockade. However, this law provides only 1.375 billion dollars (1.22 billion euros) for border barriers.
That’s less than a quarter of the $ 5.7 billion Trump had asked for building a wall. The word „wall“ does not even appear in the 1,165-page legal text. The declaration of emergency is for Trump the way to sign the law nevertheless and thus avoid another „shutdown“, without having to give up his wall project.
Congress can cancel emergency declaration
However, US law authorizes the Congress to cancel presidential declarations. This requires a decision by both chambers of parliament. The Democrats have the majority in the House of Representatives since the beginning of the year, Trump Republican continue to dominate the Senate.
The Republican boss McConnell announced that he wanted to support Trump’s declaration of emergency. Several of his group colleagues, however, reported concerns. For example, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley expressed concern that a „precedent“ could be created for circumventing Congress in the use of budgetary resources.
If, in fact, there is a Congressional resolution to annul the emergency, Trump could veto it. This can in turn be lifted only with two-thirds majorities of both chambers – an extremely high hurdle.
