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Democratic congresswoman to file legislation to stop Trump from declaring national emergency for border wall

“That’s not how the Constitution works,” New York’s Grace Meng says of president’s threats

Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., leaves the House Democrats' caucus meeting in the Capitol on Wednesday. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., leaves the House Democrats' caucus meeting in the Capitol on Wednesday. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

New York Democrat Grace Meng plans to introduce legislation in the House on Friday to prevent President Donald Trump from using a national emergency declaration to fund a wall along the southern border.

Dubbed the “No Walls Act,” the bill would prohibit the construction of barriers, including fences walls and steel slats, along the U.S.-Mexico border if national emergencies are declared during government shutdowns.

“It is unconscionable that President Trump is threatening to side-step Congress and declare a fake national emergency in order to build his wall, as funding for the government and more than 800,000 federal workers hangs in the balance,” Meng said in a statement. “We must send a clear message to the President that creating this type of manufactured emergency for the sole purpose of securing an unrealistic campaign promise is unacceptable.”

Meng said Trump wanting to build a wall is not a legitimate national emergency.

“The President can’t just refuse to fund the government, say ‘EMERGENCY!!!’ and get whatever political wish he desires,” she said in her statement. “That’s not how the Constitution works. The passage of my legislation would ensure that this outrageous abuse of power does not happen, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.”

Watch: Trump, Pelosi dig in to their positions on border security as president heads to Texas

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