According to a statement released by Becerra, 16 American states — Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia — led by California, have filed a lawsuit to the US District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that Trump's decision to declare a state of emergency in the country violates the constitution.
READ MORE: Coalition of 16 US States Sue Trump Administration Over Emergency Declaration
On 15 February, President Donald Trump signed a national emergency declaration to secure funding to build a wall on the US southern border which immediately prompted legal challenges from state authorities and rights groups.
Trump used the executive action to bypass Congress and secure up to $8 billion in US federal funds to install 234 miles’ worth of steel barriers along the country’s 1,950-mile border with Mexico. Later in the day, Trump signed a budget resolution to fund the government through September of 2019, meeting Friday’s deadline to avert another government shutdown.