19 States sued Trump’s Government for diverting Federal funds

One of the main proposals of Trump’s campaign during the elections was the border wall he wanted to build between Mexico and the US, however, this idea has been controversial among society due to the methods used to build it.

Trump’s administration was sued by 19 states for trying to divert almost $3.8 billion of federal funds, initially directed to military defense, to build 285 kilometers of border wall.

What is Trump’s argument to redirect the funds?

According to Trump’s administration, preventing illegal immigration from Mexico to the US is a social, economic and political priority. The current government states that undocumented immigrants are one of the biggest problems in the country.

The president has always supported the idea of blocking immigration at all costs, in fact, in September 2019, President Trump sent a message to all illegal immigrants in the UN Assembly; His message was: “To all those who want to illegally cross our borders, listen to this: do not pay the traffickers, do not put yourself at risk or risk your children because if you arrive, you will not be allowed to enter, you will soon be returned to your countries. As long as I am the president we will apply our laws and protect our borders.”

Trump constantly mentions that illegal immigration affects the country’s productivity and that undocumented immigrants take advantage of working citizens and people who pay taxes. However, most of the funds used to build the wall come from taxes that citizens pay annually, which can be contradictory.

Taxes collected from citizens should be invested in security, health, education and technology of the country, otherwise, social security and development is affected.

Who sued Trump’s administration?

The states suing Trump’s administration for wanting to use federal funds to build the border wall are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon , Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, Massachusttes, Virginia and Michigan.

The lawsuit made by these states was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Why are they suing the Government?

Donald Trump’s government wants to divert almost $3.8 billion, that was destined to go towards the defense budget of the country, and instead use it to build the border wall between Mexico and the US to prevent illegal immigration.

According to these states, this decision is unconstitutional and goes against the power of Congress. They also mention that when federal funds are used for purposes other than those established, it can negatively affect the safety of citizens because these funds were to be invested in social and military security (new aircraft, ships and National Guard equipment).

The states reiterate that a border wall is inefficient and expensive since there are oceans and seas where a barrier can never be placed. They suggest other ways to reduce illegal immigration such as social assistance and simpler processes for people who want to study, work, contribute and live in the US.

Another reason for the lawsuit is the negative environmental impact. The states claim that the fauna and flora in the area can be damaged thanks to invasive constructions on the border. In addition, wildlife will not be able to migrate and they will lose opportunities to reproduce and have a healthy habitat.

Background

Last week, social organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Sierra Club and the Coalition of Southern Border Communities filed a lawsuit for the same reason.

During 2019, Trump wanted to transfer $ 6 billion, which was destined to military funds, to build the border wall. However, the Northern California District Court had already blocked this petition several times.

Last summer, the United States Supreme Court blocked a request from President Trump as well. He wanted to use $ 2.5 billion, which belonged to military pensions and anti-drug efforts, to build the border.

Response to Trump’s request

The Supreme Court approved the transfer request for now while the appeal is resolved, however, it is not a final decision.

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