Judge blocks federal funds for border wall in New Mexico & California

A federal judge late Friday blocked the Trump administration from using $2.5 billion in federal funds to help build a border wall in portions of New Mexico and California.

Judge Haywood Gilliam of the U.S. District Court for Northern California ruled in favor of a challenge to President Trump’s attempt to move billions from the Defense Department budget toward constructing the wall at six different sites in New Mexico and California.

Trump’s funding move was done as part of his national emergency declaration in February.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra celebrated the ruling, which he said stops the administration from proceeding with construction on the wall.

“These rulings critically stop President Trump’s illegal money grab to divert $2.5 billion of unauthorized funding for his pet project,” Becerra said in a statement. “All President Trump has succeeded in building is a constitutional crisis, threatening immediate harm to our state. President Trump said he didn’t have to do this and that he would be unsuccessful in court. Today we proved that statement true.”

Big news tonight: Court rules President Trump can’t begin building his #borderwall in #California or New Mexico, at least while our lawsuit & @SierraClub‘s continues. Thanks to everyone standing with us to stop Trump from illegally moving funds. #NoBorderWall

— Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) June 29, 2019 Tonight’s court rulings critically stop Trump’s illegal money grab to divert $2.5 billion of unauthorized funding for his pet project. As we showed, all he has succeeded in building is a constitutional crisis, threatening immediate harm to CA https://t.co/3cpP9oQdQb #NoBorderWall

— Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) June 29, 2019

There was no immediate reaction from New Mexico officials about the ruling. The White House is expected to appeal the decision.