- Democratic-run state’s attorney general is filing suit over the president’s plan to build a wall along the Mexican border
- Xavier Becerra will make federal case that wall is unconstitutional over separation of powers and states’ rights
- Will also allege it will be in breach of environmental protection laws
- Trump’s signature policy is due to take a step forward with prototype walls to be built in San Diego
California’s attorney general plans to file a lawsuit on Wednesday challenging President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a wall along the border with Mexico, the state AG’s office said, adding to the obstacles facing a key Trump campaign promise.
Trump has insisted Mexico would pay for building the wall, which experts said could cost about $22 billion and take more than three years to complete.
With Mexico refusing to pay, Trump has said since taking office in January that the wall will initially need U.S. funding but that he will find a way to make Mexico ultimately pay for it.
Upgrade: Trump wants his ‘big, beautiful wall’ to cover the entire border. Currently some of it is fenced, including this section at Tecate in California
Legal scrutiny: Trump will have to defend the wall in federal court after the move by California’s Democratic attorney general, Xavier Becerra
Democrats in the U.S. Congress, however, firmly oppose the border wall, and at least some Democratic senators would need to vote for its inclusion in a spending package.
Democratic attorneys general including California’s Xavier Becerra have sued the Trump administration on a range of issues.
The border wall lawsuit set to be filed on Wednesday will allege that Trump’s wall violates federal environmental standards, as well as constitutional provisions regarding the separation of powers and states’ rights, a Becerra spokesperson said.
Last month the Trump administration said it had selected four construction companies to build concrete prototypes for a wall, which will be will be 30 feet tall and about 30 feet wide and will be tested in San Diego.