16 states sue President Trump for declaring a state of emergency at the border with Mexico
Representatives from 16 US states have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump for declaring a national emergency on the border with Mexico, which allows the president to receive money to build a wall on the border without going through Congress, Politico reports.
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| US President Donald Trump. Photo: AP |
The plaintiffs called it an "illegal scheme" by the US leader, who "used the illegal immigration crisis as a pretext to declare a national emergency, diverting federal funds intended for combating illegal drug trafficking, military construction, and legislative initiatives to build the wall."
Among the states joining the coalition are California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware and Hawaii.
Last week, Donald Trump signed a document declaring a national emergency in the country due to the threat to national security and the humanitarian crisis at the southern border.
Mr Trump hopes to receive up to $8 billion to build a wall on the border between the United States and Mexico.
