President Donald Trump announced plans to bypass Congress by declaring a national emergency to build a wall along the southern border of the U.S. Friday.
Legislation to keep the government from shutting down was passed at midnight Friday — providing $333-billion in financing for several cabinet agencies through September to avoid another shutdown.
That legislation gave Trump $1.4-billion for 55 additional miles of border fencing, well short of the more than 200-miles he wanted.
Trump plans to spend more than Congress is prepared to give by using his executive authority to tap into other sources of funding in the Treasury and Defence Departments. His goal is to bring that funding to more than $8-billion to build the wall.
The American Civil Liberties Union says it will file a lawsuit challenging Trump's emergency declaration — arguing Trump's use of emergency powers is unprecedented and can't be used to build a border wall.
California's Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Governor Gavin Newsom — both Democrats — announced the state plans to sue as well, telling reporters there is no emergency at the border and Trump doesn't have the authority to make the declaration.
Trump refused to provide stats to support his claim of a national emergency at a press conference in Washington Friday.