In a tense Fox News interview on Sunday, policy advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump Stephen Miller defended the president’s national emergency declaration and suggested that a veto was a possibility if Congress disapproves.
In an interview with host Chris Wallace, Miller said that the flowing of drugs and migrants across the southern border justified the declaration.
WATCH: Protests held across U.S. in opposition to Trump’s national emergency
However, Wallace retorted that the majority of drugs seized by Customs and Border Protection are captured at points of entry, and that unlawful migration over the border has fallen by 90 per cent since 2,000.
“You don’t know what you don’t know, and you don’t catch what you don’t catch. But as a matter of national security, you cannot have uncontrolled, unsecured areas of the border where people can pour in undetected,” Miller responded.
When Wallace pressed Miller over the use of a national emergency declaration to obtain funding for the wall, Miller said it fell within the confines of the National Emergency Act passed in 1976.
WATCH: Senator Marco Rubio criticizes Trump’s national emergency declaration
“Congress in 1976 passed the National Emergency Act and gave the president the authority, as a result of that, to invoke a national emergency in many different circumstances, but among them the use of military construction funds,” Miller said.
Wallace countered that there was no precedent for such a motion and asked Miller to name another instance in which a president has attempted to obtain funding after being denied by Congress.
Miller began to respond. “Well, this current situation… ”
But once again, he was interrupted by Wallace. “Just yes or no, sir.”
Miller added that by September 2020, “hundreds of miles” of new barriers will have been built along the southern border.
“If you look at the authorities we have both in in terms of drug corridor funds, in terms of national emergency funds, in terms of treasury funds, as well as our prohibitive funds and other reprogramming authorities that may exist—,” Miller started to say before Wallace interrupted again,
“Just answer the question,” Wallace pushed.
Miller ended the segment by suggesting that if Congress passes a resolution rejecting the emergency, Trump would likely veto it.
“It’s always good and challenging to talk to you,” Wallace said as the segment concluded.
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