Donald Trump speaks of an "invasion" of illegal immigrants to justify his decree on the wall – 15/02/2019

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he would adopt "National Emergency", an exceptional procedure allowing him to bypbad the US Congress to unlock funds and build his promised wall on the Mexican border, opening a legal battle fierce with his Democratic Opponents.

"Everyone knows that the walls work," said the US president at a press conference in the White House gardens, where It evoked an "invasion" of illegal immigrants, as well as the constant entry of drugs and criminals.

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The procedure allows him to move directly to Congress to unlock funds, mainly for defense, to build the wall with which he intends to stop the migration from Central America.

"Today, I am going to sign a national emergency (…) because we are talking about an invasion of drugs and human trafficking in our country," Trump told reporters. a press conference at the White House.

"We have the possibility to approach 8,000 million dollars and with that, we will build many walls," he promised.

Trump acknowledged that he is now waiting for legal action to be taken against his statement. "I expect that they will sue me, although they should not sue me," said the president, adding that the trial would certainly end in the Supreme Court, as was the case. case during the judicial fight against his veto in immigration against the citizens of several Muslim-majority countries.

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"What will happen, unfortunately, is that they will sue us." Unfortunately, there will be a (judicial) process, and luckily we will win, "he said.

Almost immediately, New York Attorney General Letitia James said the decision would result in "a constitutional crisis" and that is why she will appeal.

This becomes the starting point for fierce political and judicial struggles, since the president's willingness to place this "magnificent wall" above all else, including the separation of powers, according to his opponents, arouses strong criticism.

Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi – Speaker of the House of Representatives – and Chuck Schumer – Speaker of the Senate Party – immediately reacted to Trump's announcement.

"The president's illegal statement that a non-existent crisis seriously violates our Constitution and makes the US a less secure country by stealing urgent funds from the Defense for the security of our armed forces and our country," they said. in a joint statement. .

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In the Democratic ranks, it is considered that a serious abuse of power is committed and they see in this decision a weak political maneuver on the part of a president weakened by the loss of the House of Representatives in November and his withdrawal at the end of January from the confrontation in which he had been involved with the Congress on the issue of immigration.

However, the White House says that this initiative is the mark of a man who does not forget his promises once in power. Trump, who now has his eyes on the 2020 presidential election, hopes that this will allow him, once again, to strengthen his electoral base.

But even in the Republican camp, the initiative did not receive unanimous support: "Declaring the national emergency in this case would be a mistake," Republican Senator Susan Collins warned.

Trump made the announcement before flying out in the afternoons to spend the weekend in his luxurious club in Mar-a-Lago, Florida (Southeast).

Your decision is accompanied by the signature of a budget compromise reached in Congress, marking the end of long negotiations between Democrats and Republicans fund federal public services and prevent a further partial closure of the federal government. Funds for the wall have always been at the center of negotiations.

"What a shame for any member of Congress who does not clearly and vigorously oppose this illegitimate invocation" of a national emergency, said the powerful Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

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Several presidents of the United States have used this procedure in the past, but under very different and much less controversial circumstances.

Jimmy Carter invoked the urgency after taking hostages at the US Embbady in Tehran (Iran) in 1979. George W. Bush did so after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and, a few years later, Barack Obama resorted to during the H1N1 flu epidemic.

Peter Schuck, Emeritus Professor of Law at the prestigious Yale University, said "the fact that the president has the power to waste billions of dollars on a stupid campaign promise is inherently outrageous."

In a newspaper column The New York Times, Schuck said Congress should more rigorously define the conditions under which the president can use the National Emergency Law, approved in 1976.

"In the long run, this issue is more crucial to the vitality of our democracy than if President Trump finally got his wall," he said.

Before flying to Florida, the US president is expected to sign the finance bill pbaded on Thursday by a large majority of the Senate, controlled by Republicans, and by the House of Representatives, under the control of Democrats.

The approved budget includes only a quarter of the funds requested by Trump for months for the construction of the wall. at the border ($ 1,400 million of the $ 5,700 million requested). And this also implies a political struggle charged with symbolism, because it does not mention the word "wall", preferring to use "barrier" or "fence".

Source: AFP and EFE

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