Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare House lawmakers reach deal to avert shutdown Centrist Democrats 'strongly considering' discharge petition on GOP PPP bill MORE (D-Calif.) sent out a fundraising email to supporters Friday after President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE declared a national emergency to build a border wall.

The email excoriates the president for the declaration and gives recipients the option of donating anywhere from $10 to $250, or an amount of their choosing.

“Trump admitted he ‘didn’t need’ to declare a national emergency to build his border wall. If you don’t ‘need’ to do it, it’s NOT an emergency,” Pelosi wrote in the email. “The #FakeTrumpEmergency is a blatant abuse of power. Trump couldn’t extort money for his wall from Mexico or Congress, so he’s stealing it from agencies that keep this nation safe to get his way.”

.@SpeakerPelosi fundraising off Trump national emergency declaration: "If you don't 'need' to do it, it's NOT an emergency." pic.twitter.com/VUqBwaqnCO — Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) February 15, 2019

Trump declared the national emergency as a way to boost funding for a barrier on the southern border. The White House said it has identified as much as $8.1 billion, including more than $6 billion from the Pentagon, that will be available to fulfill the president’s signature campaign promise.

During Friday's announcement in the Rose Garden, Trump said, “I didn't need to do this, but I'd rather do it much faster,” referring to constructing barriers on the border.

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Congressional Democrats swiftly rebuked the move, calling it an unnecessary overstep that might exceed Trump’s constitutional powers.

“The President’s unlawful declaration over a crisis that does not exist does great violence to our Constitution and makes America less safe, stealing from urgently needed defense funds for the security of our military and our nation,” Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerSenate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' Jacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE (D-N.Y.) said in a joint statement. “This is plainly a power grab by a disappointed President, who has gone outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional legislative process.”

The southern border has become a flashpoint ever since the Trump administration implemented its “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which initially resulted in family separations.

Many Democrats have said their messaging on immigration contributed to their midterm gains, and several 2020 presidential candidates have slammed the emergency declaration as they try to highlight their opposition to Trump.