Incoming White House officials said Trump is planning to declare a national emergency at the southern U.S. border, which would unlock access to billions in federal funding for border security.
Presidents are able to use the National Emergencies Act to move money from one federal agency's account to another without congressional approval. The measure is intended to assist presidents with resources in instances of emergency and not to serve as an alternative funding mechanism: setting the budget is the primary role of Congress.
"What this action does, is it deploys arms forces, erects physical barriers by directing DOD [Department of Defense] and DHS [Department of Homeland Security] secretaries to finish the wall along the border and allows for UAS [U.S. Armed Services] capabilities near the southern border," an incoming White House official said on a call with reporters Monday morning.
"In addition, it directs the Secretary of Defense to deploy additional personnel to the border crisis, including members of the armed forces and National Guard."
Details about how much funding and personnel will be redirected remains to be seen.
Trump is inheriting a quiet border. During the Biden administration, unauthorized crossings hit an all-time high in December 2023, but in 2024 the numbers sharply dropped. The change can be attributed in part toBiden's asylum restrictions at the border.
This is not the first time Trump has used this power. During his first administration, Trump declared an emergency to access funds to pay for the border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. At the time, Trump wanted to unlock the additional funding after Congress fell short of his $5.7 billion request for border security.
The move, which gave Trump $8 billion, drew criticism from Capitol Hill Democrats who called it "disrespectful" and "overblown." Some Republican senators also criticized the move for skirting Congressional oversight and authority. The diversion of funds from the Department of Defense resulted in postponed military construction projects.
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