UPDATED: 7:45 a.m.
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Delaware and New Jersey are joining 14 other states to sue the Trump administration. They're trying to stop the president's declaration of a national emergency to build a border wall.
The states' attorneys general argue the president is disregarding the separation of powers, and their residents would be hurt if military money intended for projects in their states are diverted to build the wall.
The governor of each state, except Maryland, is a Democrat. Each attorney general is a Democrat, including New Jersey's Gurbir Grewal and Delaware's Kathy Jennings.
READ: 16 states file lawsuit to stop Trump's national emergency declaration
In a tweet, Grewal said, "The President ignored the rule of law and manufactured a crisis — all in the service of his ideological agenda. Today, we're fighting back."
On Friday, the President ignored the rule of law and manufactured a crisis - all in the service of his ideological agenda. Today, we're fighting back. pic.twitter.com/ema2hfX0RZ
— AG Gurbir Grewal (@NewJerseyOAG)
February 19, 2019 Jennings put out a statement saying in part, “We cannot devolve into a system where Congress chooses not to fund something and the president — whoever it is in the White House — simply can grab other funds to do what he wants."
She specifically mentioned Delaware's National Guard and Dover Air Force Base as potentially losing out.
Pennsylvania is not part of the lawsuit. Attorney General Josh Shapiro said, at this point, it isn't really clear if any money appropriated for the commonwealth would be diverted.
READ: Trump emergency declaration faces fights in the courts
Shapiro tweeted, "I am carefully monitoring whether he takes even one penny from Pennsylvania to construct his wall. If he does I won't hesitate to file suit."
My job as AG is to uphold the rule of law & I will not hesitate to take legal action if our Commonwealth loses out on any money we have been allocated by Congress.As we learn more, I’ll continue to work w/ @GovernorTomWolf + our Congressional delegation to prevent harm to PA.
— AG Josh Shapiro (@PAAttorneyGen)
February 19, 2019 The president dismissed the suit Tuesday morning, saying it was filed by "Open Border Democrats and the Radical Left."
As I predicted, 16 cities, led mostly by Open Border Democrats and the Radical Left, have filed a lawsuit in, of course, the 9th Circuit! California, the state that has wasted billions of dollars on their out of control Fast Train, with no hope of completion, seems in charge!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
February 19, 2019 The acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shannahan says he's reviewing military projects to see where the money would come from to build the wall.
