United States: Trump will definitely build the wall

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The US government worked hard to avoid a new Shutdown. Meanwhile, Trump declares the country in national emergency

Last Thursday, the US Congress once again prevented a shutdown from taking place in the government by signing a budget agreement for the construction of the wall. Thus, with the approval of President Trump and the Democratic opponents, the final text "destines 1,400 million dollars for that work when the president had requested 5,700 million. Moreover, the law does not mention the word 'wall' and opts instead for 'barrier' or 'closure'," as stated by El Nacional.

Leer en español: Estados Unidos: Trump construirá el muro sí o sí

However, not happy with the approval, Trump declared national emergency in the country. This is a statement that the presidents of the United States can use, after a law passed in 1976. As El País explains, "it grants special and temporary powers to handle a crisis that threatens the country and demands an immediate response. In most cases, it obeys international policy needs, although sometimes it has also been used to pursue domestic policy objectives."

Through this declaration, Trump is expected to "complete" the remaining money for the construction of the wall, since, in a national emergency, the president can obtain monetary resources without the approval of Congress. Of course, it is necessary to give an explanation to the Congress to determine how many funds are needed to get out of the emergency and where they will be taken from, as the same media explains.

On the other hand, it would not be the first time that Trump resorts to this law that protects him, because in 2017 he used it to impose punishments on people who violated human rights. In 2018 he resorted to it twice: one to punish foreigners who intervened in that country's elections and to punish members of the Nicaraguan government, according to La Vanguardia.

In the same way, resorting to this measure assures him that in effect he will be able to fulfill one of the biggest promises of his presidential campaign. In this regard, Trump argues that the construction is necessary, "not because it is a campaign promise but because walls work." In that same line, he stressed that the United States "is facing an invasion of drugs, traffickers of people and all types of criminals and criminal gangs," according to the same media.

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Democratic answers

As expected, the decision was not supported by the opposition. Led by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, she argued in a joint statement with Senator Chuck Schumer that "The President’s unlawful declaration over a crisis that does not exist does great violence to our Constitution and makes America less safe, stealing from urgently needed defense funds for the security of our military and our nation "

Is it really a national emergency?

Faced with the hasty decision to announce a national emergency, many criticize this decision and perceive it more as a way to build the wall by force. With this decision it is expected that the Trump government will enlist all legal weapons to avoid the discomfort of its opponents.

It is at this moment that the Congress, which does not have the power to restrain the president, can make use of the "joint resolution of termination to end the emergency status if they believe the president is acting irresponsibly or the threat has dissipated, "according to The New York Times.

However, they will need support from the majority, not only including their party, but also the Republican party, some of whom have expressed their dissatisfaction with Trump's decision.

LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz

Translated from "Estados Unidos: Trump construirá el muro sí o sí"