Federal judge rules to block President Trump from using funds to build border wall

Phuong Hoa• DNUM_BBZBCZCABJ 14:53

(Baonghean.vn) - A federal judge has just ruled to permanently "block" US President Donald Trump from using Department of Defense funds to carry out his plan to build a border wall in the south.

Bức tường biên giới Mỹ - Mexico: một trong những cam kết tranh cử của Tổng thống Donald Trump (Nguồn Getty)

The US-Mexico border wall: one of President Donald Trump's election pledges. Photo: Getty

U.S. District Judge David Briones of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas has ruled in favor of the government of El Paso County, Texas, and the Border Human Rights Network, which said that President Donald Trump’s national emergency order to use billions of dollars in Pentagon funds to build a wall on the southern border was a violation. The plaintiffs allege that the president exceeded his authority by issuing emergency declarations to use additional defense funds, despite having received $1.375 billion from Congress. The plaintiffs also accuse the White House of using funds for situations that do not qualify as emergencies under the National Emergencies Act.

Under the latest ruling, the Trump administration will permanently be barred from using Defense Department funds or other military funds to build additional barriers on the southern border.

Kristy Parker, counsel for Defend Democracy, a nonprofit representing the plaintiffs, emphasized:“The President’s emergency declaration is an attempt to wrest power from Congress. Today’s ruling affirms that the President is not a king and that the courts are ready to investigate when there are signs of exceeding prescribed limits.”

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader - Democratic Senator Charles Schumer said that this ruling has“confirmed that the President’s national emergency declaration was intended to steal money from military families to build a wall that he promised Mexico would pay for. And that this isexpressionpresentlyof workexcessive use of power by a Presidentg, refused to respect the separation of powers according toHUS Constitution".

Senator Charles Schumer also commented,“This ruling is a victory for the rule of law, a warning to Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration that the power granted to Congress by the Constitution cannot be usurped.”

The latest ruling is a legal setback for President Trump’s pledge to build a 700-kilometer wall along the US-Mexico border. In September, Defense Secretary Mark Esper authorized the transfer of $3.6 billion in military construction funds to 11 wall projects on the southern border with Mexico. The Pentagon said at the time that half of the money would come from overseas military projects, while the other half would come from military projects already planned in the US.

However, Judge David Briones’ ruling does not apply to other funds (beyond defense funds) that have been designated for border wall construction, including anti-drug funds or Treasury Department funds. However, in his ruling, Judge David Briones wrote that the court will continue to consider the scope of implementation after hearing further reports on the issue./.

Phuong Hoa