United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday he will sign a national emergency declaration over the situation at the US border with Mexico. Speaking at the White House Rose Garden, Trump said that a national emergency has been declared many times in the past by many presidents and "it's rarely been a problem, nobody cared." As the reason behind the move, Trump cited an "invasion" of drugs, gangs and people trying to cross the border and enter the US.
By declaring a national emergency, Trump will try to circumvent the US Congress and secure nearly $8 billion for his proposed wall by reprogramming funds from other parts of the government including the Defense Department and the Homeland Security Department. In a spending bill passed by the Congress yesterday to prevent another government shutdown, only $1.4 billion was allocated for a border wall, just a quarter of what was demanded by the president.
