W

hat does it mean, practically speaking?

A national emergency enables the president to take government funds that had been earmarked for various projects and channel them to other uses. In this case, the White House managed to round up roughly $8 billion, mainly from Pentagon construction and infrastructure projects for the building of a border wall.

Was the move unusual?

According to figures provided by the Brennan Center for Justice and quoted in the Washington Post, 58 national emergency declarations have been declared since 1976, and of those, 31 are still active. The question is whether the situation at the border warrants a nation emergency or whether, as the Democrats charge, Trump is abusing his emergency powers for the sake of circumventing the will of Congress.

What do Republicans think?

Not all GOP members are on the same page as the president, and some senators have voiced their criticism. It’s important to remember that some senators, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, didn’t mince words when Obama made similar use of his presidential powers, writing in an op ed, “He is not a monarch.” All in all, it’s an embarrassing situation for Republican lawmakers. On the other hand, polls show voters want strong action on illegal immigration.

Does the 2020 race play a role?

There’s a close link. Trump is intent on building his border wall and showing his constituents that he’s fulfilled his campaign promises. The president’s worst nightmare came true when the right-wing press pilloried him for surrendering to the Democrats to avoid another government shutdown. That’s why Trump is betting the pot on building a wall and showing his supporters that he’s done his best in the face of stiff opposition.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 749)