Arizona lawmakers’ reaction to President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national border security emergency on Friday split along party lines, with Democrats blasting the move as “fear-mongering” that sets “a dangerous precedent.”
Republicans praised the president for taking action they said is needed to “protect American lives.”
Trump’s declaration came just hours after Congress passed a budget bill that included $1.375 billion to fund construction of more border wall, well below the $5.7 he had been demanding. In response, he declared a state of emergency, which allows the president to shift funds between accounts.
White House officials said Friday the emergency would allow the addition of about $6.6 billion to the money Congress allocated, bringing border wall construction funding to about $8 billion this year.
In a Rose Garden announcement Friday, Trump said the declaration is needed because “we don’t control our own border.”
“I’m going to be signing a national emergency,” Trump said. “We’re talking about an invasion of our country with drugs, with human traffickers, with all types of criminals and gangs.”
The declaration is almost certain to be challenged in court – a fact Trump referenced in his speech – but he said he has the authority and is confident he will ultimately win. He said presidents over the last four decades have declared 58 national emergencies and some governors have declared border emergencies, including former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, called the declaration a serious step, but one he said needs to be taken.
“The southern border is the gateway for drug, human and sex trafficking, which afflicts countless American communities,” Biggs said in a statement late Thursday. “I support his decision.
“Though executive action should always be taken lightly – and never outside of constitutional bounds – President Trump correctly views the situation at the border as an emergency,” Biggs said.
But Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson, “vehemently” condemned what he called “Trump’s unconstitutional power grab with his intent to declare a national emergency.”
Grijalva was one of just a handful of Democrats to vote against the budget bill Thursday because it included wall funding.
“Whether shutting down the government for his wall or an emergency declaration, Trump continues to manufacture a crisis at the southern border and reinforce it with fear-mongering and outright lies,” Grijalva said in a statement Thursday, after Trump revealed his plans.
White House officials defended the president’s decision Friday, saying there is precedent for the move and accusing Democrats of playing partisan games.
“This is authority given to the president in law already,” Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, said in a conference call Friday. “It’s not as if he didn’t get what he wanted and waved a magic wand to get some money.”
But Trump did not get what he wanted. Despite the fact that the budget included just under $1.2 billion for other border initiatives, including screening technology and drug-detection, Trump did not get the billions he wanted for a wall.
The money that will be redirected as a result of the emergency declaration includes $2.5 billion from a Defense Department fund to counter drug trafficking, $3.6 billion from a military construction fund and $600 million from a Treasury asset forfeiture fund. White House officials said a national emergency is needed to divert the military construction money.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, who tweeted that “Trump’s presidency is the real national emergency,” said Friday that he was particularly disturbed by the diversion of Pentagon funds toward the wall.
“As a member of the Armed Services Committee, we authorize billions of dollars to improve our bases every year,” Gallego said in a separate tweet. “That money is to build facilities to recruit, train and retain the world’s best military. A fake national emergency takes money from that mission.”
White House officials said Friday that any of the diverted money would be “backfilled” for those agencies in next year’s budget.
But Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix, said a national emergency declaration should “only be used for real national emergencies – not to make up for political failure – and should not be used as a work-around to the legislative process.”
“This is the wrong way to govern, and the president is only creating a dangerous precedent for our country,” Stanton said in a statement Friday.
A statement from Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Prescott, said there is a real emergency at the border and that Trump should “take all measures necessary to protect American lives. We must secure our border.”
That was echoed by Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, who said that Americans “can no longer deny the crisis that is happening at our southern border.”
“I will support President Trump’s use of his executive authority to end this crisis,” Lesko’s statement said. “This threat to our national security is a national emergency and we must take action.”
While he agreed that there is a need for more border security, Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Sedona, said “this is not the way it should be done.”
“I am ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect our communities,” O’Halleran said in a statement, “and I encourage President Trump to work with us, not against us.”
For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.
This article appears in Feb 14-20, 2019.
Temper your distraction over border security with the sobering thought that El Chapo admitted to paying former Mexican President Nieto more than $100M. Could any of that money found it’s way onto American soil, in an effort to oppose construction of border walls?
In this political climate anything is possible. Just look at what the FBI has done. hmmm
Whappo, Facts don’t mean a thing to the left, why bother ?
I just can’t let them wallow in their ignorance.
The only ignorance around here are the 3 comments posted before mine, and I refuse to wallow in any of it.
So, Dave D, are you and your ilk the left now? I ask this because facts most certainly mean nothing to you.
Emergency:
1. a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.
2.a state, especially of need for help or relief, created by some unexpected event.
Trump has been declaring a “National Emergence” for Months as a Political Tool to get his “Wall”.
There is, in fact, NO Emergency. His Declaration of a “National Emergence” is an Unconstitutional Abuse of Executive Authority and will be reversed by the Courts.
It forms the basis for his Impeachment by Congress!!
The radical leftists have been calling for impeachment ever since they couldn’t manipulate the Electoral College to give them a win. Thus they shifted to using illegals to steal their next victory. It’s too bad for them that Americans reject their ideas.
Only those who refuse or are incapable of a Critical Analysis of the Facts and the Actions of Donald Trump will deny that he poses a threat to our Constitutionally Protected Freedoms and National Security. He is NOT fit to service in the Office of President of the United States. He is Mentally Unstable and has undermined the very nature of our Constitutional Democracy with Three Co-Equal Branches of Government, as well as our Independent and Free Press.
In Supporting Donald Trump, the GOP has ignored the Welfare of our Country, putting Party Politics as their main Considerations!!! Why? So as to maintain the GOP Power and Privileged Positions in Government: at both the National and State Levels.
Trump will be removed from Office before 2020!!!
Ignored the welfare of our country? Open border democrats are allowing the slaughter of Americans, massive drug and sex trafficking in children, and Trump is mentally unfit? That’s a head shaker.
Why are we having any discussion about a wall ? Did not Ducey build the wall and send Obama the bill ? Ducey did get re-elected . What does Trump have to fear if he does not use U.S. taxpayers money to build HIS wall ? We all know Mexico will pay for it.
we all have locks on our doors, peep holes, fences or walls built around our homes or complexes. However there is no guarantee that will keep the real bad guy from coming in. My question is ” why do we even bother spending our money on things like walls, or fences, that simply don’t work ?”
Lazlo Toth wrote a book back in 1992: “Citizen Lazlo!”. A must read. Anyway, in there he proposed we build a canal from the Gulf of California to the Gulf of Mexico to deal with illegal aliens. This seems like a much better idea. Plus, it would create a US owned shortcut between the Pacific and Altantic!