Politics

Ex-National Security Officials To Rebuke Trump's Emergency Declaration

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel are just two of the 58 signatories.

Ex-National Security Officials To Rebuke Trump's Emergency Declaration
Getty Images
SMS

Dozens of former U.S. national security officials are expected to issue a statement Monday, criticizing President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration.

According to multiple outlets, the statement says that there's "no factual basis" to the declaration, which allows the president to redirect federal funding towards a wall on the southern border without getting congressional approval.

The Washington Post reports the former officials argue that there's no documented emergency related to terrorism or violent crime at the U.S.-Mexico border and that illegal border crossings are at an almost-40 year low.

Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, former defense secretary Chuck Hagel and former Ambassador to the United Nations Thomas Pickering are just a few of the 58 signatories.

Their statement is set to be entered into the Congressional Record just one day before the House is expected to vote on a resolution to block President Trump's declaration. The commander-in-chief already said he'll veto that resolution if it's passed by both chambers of Congress and makes it to his desk.

The president's emergency declaration is also being challenged in the federal courts by a number of advocacy groups and a coalition of 16 states.

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.