California’s Attorney General Xavier Becerra called “immoral” and “illegal,” a possible emergency declaration for the southern border adding that he would be ready to fight it in court “the moment it touches the ground.” The statement came during the Democrat response in Spanish to the State of the Union Address.
The California politician addresses the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump could issue an emergency declaration for the southern border amid the ongoing crisis and the lack of additional border security funding. Becerra’s speech was televised by Spanish speaking news outlets including Univision.
As part of his speech, Becerra said the idea to declare a state of emergency when there isn’t one would allow for the “theft” of funds from those hurt by fires, floods, and hurricanes to fund a wall, adding that the move is immoral and illegal.
“We are ready to fight that proposal in court the moment it touches the ground,” he said in Spanish.
Becerra expressed that he is the son of immigrants from Mexico and the first from his family to go to a university. He said the reason America is a strong country is due to the contributions made by migrants like his parents.
“There is no country like the U.S., the world needs us … strong and ready,” Becerra said in Spanish. “The world looks for us as a leader and partner. If America falls the whole world is hurt. The state of our country decides destinies.”
In referring to the state of the country, Becerra asked about the president’s “obsession” with building a wall that “not even the experts want”. Becerra did not specify any experts during his statement.
The California politician asked for an explanation about the country going through an “intense investigation over Russian interference” in 2016 and “Trump’s role in it.” Becerra referred to the allegations as fact and did not expand further on them, adding that “criminality, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice” were the shadows that followed Trump and his administration.
Toward the end of his speech, Becerra called for 1) Better schools, 2) healthcare for all “that politicians cannot take away,” 3) better salaries and benefits, 4) more gun control, 5) permanent protection for Dreamers, 6) environmental regulation for “air” and “water,” and 7) integral immigration reform.
Becerra said that as California’s Attorney General he has fought against Trump’s administration “and is winning” in 1) Protecting DACA, 2) Protecting Obamacare, and 3) Protecting college students against fraudulent loans.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.