Transcript for 16 states sue to block Trump's border wall emergency

Our gonna go to Karen Travers sixteen states are suing the president over that emergency declaration related to the border wall Karen. Is at the White House and and Karen you know this lawsuit. Called the emergency declaration illegal what's there argument. Yet this is not surprising day and again the president for weeks had been teeing up that and the national emergency declaration was very much an option on the table and that was essentially going in the last card he didn't get the money approved by congress. That he wants to put toward a border wall to last Friday the president announced that he believes he has the authority to do this and what to do is shift billions of dollars from other projects. Congress is already approved and put it toward the walk. Sixteen states led by California. Now bringing a suit against the president saying that this is an unilateral robbing a taxpayer funds. Saying this is illegally taking congressionally approved money that would have gone to people and projects in those sixteen states. And the president does not have the authority to do this they filed this suit Diane in northern California. Plastic the president predicted how this process is going to play out and if this were lawsuit goes forward. We could see it in the ninth circuit which president has described as a thorn in his side he's been frustrated by the judges there before who he says are against an Obama appointed judges. I think we'll see that's how this process does play out and that's exactly why they put it in this court to begin so is this eventually headed for the Supreme Court. It could and the president certainly seems to think it will he went on this rift last Friday that. That lawsuit would come and then it would go to the ninth circuit and he did in his sing song Boeing saying we'll lose there but ultimately. It would get to the Supreme Court and the press says he'll win there. We were told that the Justice Department lawyers told the White House that they will lose this case at least temporarily. And the White House lawyers believe that they are confident that they'll win this on appeal but they and the timeline that we're looking at here is not clear. This could take a long time this could even take the rest of the president's term nearly two years. Legal experts say. And I think you'll see the president very frustrated that he can't just write a check can take that billions of dollars he wants and start the construction. And Karen and you talk to radio stations across the country every day what what kind of feedback. Are you getting on this issue I think began the president had teed this up for so longer than expectation last week that this is where was heading survey released this morning that. We're not talking about a second government shut down this year. But of course the president by declaring that national emergency has now set off this chain of lawsuits we saw the one filed yesterday in there could still be action from congress. It Democrats decide to also bring a suit against the president. We also might see them. Tried to pass a resolution of disapproval. About that national emergency which the president would certainly Vito thing on all right Karen Travers at the White House thanks Karen.

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