Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Angus King and Rep. Chellie Pingree need to do what is right and confront President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at our border with Mexico. Congress has the power to override a presidential state of emergency, and they must do so to prevent even more harm coming to those who are seeking aid at the southern border.

I was pleased to read that Maine is one of 16 states joining California to challenge the national emergency declaration in court. This suit argues that the president does not have the power to divert funds from actual emergencies and needs recognized by individual states in order to build a wall on the border.

The suit states: “Contrary to the will of Congress, the President has used the pretext of a manufactured ‘crisis’ of unlawful immigration to declare a national emergency and redirect federal dollars appropriated for drug interdiction, military construction and law enforcement initiatives toward building a wall on the United States-Mexico border.” The full text is available at: bit.ly/2BF24ar.

It is important that this argument against the emergency declaration be framed in light not only of economic and environmental impacts, but also of the human impacts – people who are seeking asylum and needing aid and protection and a place to live are trying to cross the border and are being systematically and violently shut out. This emergency declaration is another act of violence against those at the border. These racist and harmful policies have led to the deaths of children, the forced separation and detainment of thousands of children and thousands of deportations. Maine needs to be a leader in ending this violence.

Emily Connelly

Portland

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