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By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A senior adviser to President Donald Trump said Sunday that Trump was ready to grant the first veto of his term if Congress voted to disapprove his national emergency declaration along the US-Mexico border.
White House senior advisor Stephen Miller told "Fox News Sunday" that "the president will protect his national emergency declaration". When asked if it meant that Trump was ready to veto, Miller added, "He'll protect his national emergency statement, it's guaranteed."
Trump said Friday the emergency with the aim of bypbading Congress to fund his border wall. This would allow him to transfer federal funds earmarked for military construction at the border – but is already facing legal and political challenges.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra told ABC's "This Week" that his country would initiate an "imminent" lawsuit to block the order, after the American Civil Liberties Union and the non-profit Public Citizen Watch Group announced Friday that they were suing.
Democrats are considering tabling a resolution disapproving of the declaration once the Congress resumes and is likely to be adopted by Congress. Several Republican senators have already indicated that they would vote against Trump – although there still does not seem to be enough votes to void the president's veto.
Miller of the White House insisted that Congress give the president a wide margin of maneuver under the National Emergencies Act. But Trump's statement goes beyond previous money transfer emergencies after Congress blocked its funding application for the wall, which may take legal challenges into account.
Senator Chris Coons, D-Del., Told CBS's "Face the Nation" show that he was convinced that Congress needed to act to "defend" its credentials.
"I really think we should not create the terrible precedent of letting a president declare a national emergency just to bypbad the congressional vote process," he said.
Jordan's representative, Trump's ally, Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told ABC that he felt there was enough GOP voting to prevent supermajorities from giving up a veto.
"I think there are a lot of votes in the House to make sure there is no derogation from the president's veto," he said. "So it'll be settled in court, we'll have to wait and see."
In Orange County, the Hillsborough Progress Action Taking Group had planned to hold a "No Racist Wall" rally on Sunday night. The goal of the rally was to support immigrants and refugees, the group said on Facebook, arguing that the wall was based on racism and fear.
The rally should begin at 17:15. at the old Orange County Court House.
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