A group of Senate Democrats, including several 2020 contenders, have introduced legislation that would prevent President Trump
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The Protecting Disaster Relief Funds Act would block Trump from taking funds allocated to the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Army Corps of Engineers for disaster relief and using that money to construct physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The senators backing the bill include several who have already entered the presidential race — Elizabeth Warren
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Harris said in a statement announcing the legislation that Trump "cannot go around Congress to fund his ridiculous vanity project."
"I'm proud to introduce this bill today to ensure that funds intended for victims of natural disasters do not go towards a wall that Congress won't fund and people on the border don't even want," she added. "This bill will stand up for Congress' power of the purse and help California families affected by recent natural disasters begin the process of recovery."
Trump on Friday declared a national emergency at the southern border in an effort to circumvent Congress and spend billions on barriers along the border.
It's unclear where those funds will come from, but the White House has left open the possibility that he could use disaster funds for the project, according to The Associated Press.
