DC Judge Throws Out House Suit Over Trump's Use of Military Funds for Border
Solange Reyner
A federal judge in Washington, D.C. on Monday said the U.S. House of Representatives lacks the standing to sue the Trump administration over its use of military funds for work on the U.S.-Mexico border, Fox News reports.
"While the Constitution bestows upon Members of the House many powers, it does not grant them standing to haul the Executive Branch into court claiming a dilution of Congress's legislative authority," wrote U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden of the District of Columbia.
"The Court therefore lacks jurisdiction to hear the House's claims and will deny its motion."
Trump declared a national emergency in February in an attempt to secure more funding to build a barrier, a move that resulted in roughly $6 billion from the Pentagon's budget and $600 million from the Treasury Department being shifted over to use for the barrier.
The House asked a judge to issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the president from using the funds, calling the expenditures unconstitutional.
A judge in California issued the injunction, stating the administration had likely overstepped its statutory authority.
But McFadden called the issue a "closed question" and wrote "a seat in Congress comes with many prerogatives, but legal standing to superintend the execution of laws is not among them."