Donald Trump issues veto over border wall emergency declaration

It is the President's first veto
EPA
Olivia Tobin15 March 2019

US President Donald Trump has issued a veto over a measure from Congress revoking his declaration of a national emergency at the US-Mexico border.

Mr Trump made the first veto of his presidency and overruled Congress to protect his emergency declaration for border wall funding.

Congress will now need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override the president.

Mr Trump has made it clear he is not through fighting to build the border wall between Mexico and America, as was promised in his campaign.

He said the situation on the southern border is a “tremendous national emergency” and said “our immigration system is stretched beyond the breaking point”.

Mr Trump in the Oval Office
EPA

Speaking on Friday, Mr Trump added: “Congress has the freedom to pass this resolution, and I have the duty to veto it.”

A dozen defecting Republicans joined Senate Democrats in approving the joint resolution on Thursday, which capped a week of confrontation with the White House as both parties in Congress strained to exert their power in new ways.

Donald Trump speaks following the signing of his veto
AFP/Getty Images

It is unlikely that Congress will have the two-thirds majority required to override Mr Trump's veto, though House Democrats have suggested they would try nonetheless.

Mr Trump wants to use the emergency order to divert billions of federal dollars earmarked for defence spending towards the southern border wall.

It still faces several legal challenges from Democratic state attorneys general and environmental groups who argue the emergency declaration was unconstitutional.

Those cases could block Mr Trump from diverting extra money to barrier construction for months or longer.

American Civil Liberties Union, which filed one of the cases, said the veto is meaningless - like the declaration in the first place.

Executive Director Anthony Romero said: “Congress has rejected the President's declaration, and now the courts will be the ultimate arbiter of its legality.

“We look forward to seeing him in court and to the shellacking that he will receive at the hands of an independent judiciary.”

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