Protect Democracy 3/27/2020
El Paso County and the Border Network for Human Rights Urge Appeals Court to Uphold Decision Invalidating Trump’s National Emergency for Border Wall
NEW ORLEANS, LA — Today, El Paso County, Texas, and the Border Network for Human Rights
filed a brief requesting that the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals uphold a lower court’s decision invalidating President Trump’s proclamation of a national emergency on the southern border. Last October, a federal district court in Texas struck down the Administration’s emergency proclamation, deeming it unlawful because it illegally sought to override Congress’s decision to not fund further border wall construction. The district court also blocked the Administration from using Department of Defense military construction funds to build the wall.
Kristy Parker, Counsel for Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit which represents the plaintiffs-appellees, said: “The devastating coronavirus pandemic shows that there is a time and a place for the President to use emergency powers. But it also makes clear that the President’s proclamation of an emergency to build a wall on the southern border was a flagrant abuse of power. The people need to be able to trust our leaders to use emergency powers appropriately. We are confident the court of appeals will recognize its vital duty to check this executive power grab.â€
Jerry Taylor, President of the Niskanen Center, which also represents the plaintiffs-appellees, said: “As this emergency declaration and others have made clear, Congress must reassert its rightful place as the center of lawmaking and act as a check on the Executive Branch. We hope the Court will act to defend the important divisions of power in our system of government, and that bipartisan efforts to reform the National Emergencies Act continue without delay.â€
More:
https://protectdemocracy.org/update/el-paso-county-and-the-border-network-for-human-rights-urge-appeals-court-to-uphold-decision-invalidating-trumps-national-emergency-for-border-wall/?emci=a06d7bfb-4c70-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&emdi=511f017f-4d70-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&ceid=7660122
