Protests planned against Trump's national emergency over the border wall
WASHINGTON – Protests across the nation are planned Monday in response President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration.
The protests are being planned from New York and North Dakota to California and Texas all to counter the order Trump signed Friday, which freed up billions to construct a wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico.
The national emergency and other measures will free up $8 billion – far more than the $5.7 billion he initially demanded – to garner funds for 234 miles of wall, the White House said. It's a move that is almost guaranteed to draw the White House into a lengthy legal battle over the president's ability to use his executive powers for that purpose.
Already, the move has further divided Congress, including some within the Republican party, several lawsuits have been filed and now dozens of protests are being planned to show dissatisfaction with Trump's move.
Some of the rallies are being organized by MoveOn.org, a social justice and political action organization. Others are also listed on rallylist.com.
More: First lawsuits filed against President Donald Trump's national emergency order
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"We are mobilizing nonviolent rapid-response events to stand up against Trump's #FakeNationalEmergency to defend our democracy and immigrant, Muslim, black, and brown communities from Trump’s dangerous national emergency power grab," MoveOn.org lists on its website for the nationwide events, many planned around noon local time.
The site allows one to put in their city and state to find the nearest planned protest.
Along with the planned rallies Monday, a series of smaller protests have been planned over the weekend. One took place on Friday, just hours after Trump signed the order.
Several people were arrested while protesting against the national emergency declaration outside a New York City hotel that bears Trump's name.
The NYPD wasn’t immediately able to say how many people were taken into custody Friday night outside the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Manhattan.
Video shows protesters going peacefully with their hands zip-tied behind their backs as officers lead them to police vans. They’ll likely be charged with disorderly conduct and blocking traffic.
Protesters outside the Columbus Circle hotel held signs with slogans such as “Abolish I.C.E.” and ’Trump Is The Emergency.” Trump developed the 44-story hotel, but it is owned by other investors.
Contributing: Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Protests planned against Trump's national emergency over the border wall
