Skip to main content

Linda Sánchez Statement on President Trump’s Unlawful Emergency Declaration

February 15, 2019

Lawmaker says, “The president simply doesn’t understand how our system of government works.”

Washington, DCRepresentative Linda Sánchez (CA-38) today released the following statement on the president's unlawful emergency declaration:

"An unlawful, unilateral decree from President Trump does not constitute a national emergency and seriously undermines the rule of law in this country. The United States was founded on the principle of separation of powers. The Founders feared the corrosive effects of unlimited power concentrated within the executive branch upon our democracy. That is why they specifically established Congress's authority to collect and appropriate taxpayer money.

"After three weeks of negotiations, Congress intentionally blocked taxpayer dollars from going towards President Trump's wasteful and ineffective border wall. By declaring a national emergency over a nonexistent crisis to build a wall along the southern border, President Trump is attempting to circumvent the will of Congress and the people we represent. That is not how our system of government works.

"The president simply doesn't understand checks and balances. He is defiant and angry that the Constitution does not give him unlimited power to do whatever he wants. The American people need their Congress to stand strong and reject this abuse of executive power. If we fail to take appropriate action, our democracy will be weaker because some choose to put party ahead of the American people."