But the President has said he would consider declaring a national emergency to bypass Congress and power forward with constructing the wall without its approval.
Could Trump issue state of emergency over Mexico Border Wall?
Trump said he could declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress and spend money as he saw fit.
But such a move would seem certain to draw legal challenges.
The White House has not said what about the situation makes it a national emergency.
Incoming House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., said on ABC's "This Week" that the executive power has been used to build military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Yet it would likely be "wide open" to a court challenge for a border wall.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff called the idea a "nonstarter."
Why does Trump want to build the wall?
During his presidential campaign, Trump promised supporters he would take a hard stance on immigration and build a giant wall on the country's southern border.
He maintained Mexico would have to pay for it, saying he wanted to construct a barrier to keep out illegal migrants.
The tycoon said he would build an "impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful, southern border wall" between the US and Mexico.
In controversial speeches, he branded Mexicans "rapists" and "criminals" who were bringing problems into the United States.
The policy proved popular with voters in some heartland Republican areas as Trump unexpectedly swept into the White House.
Trump said 1,000 miles of wall will secure the 1,900-mile border and natural obstacles will take care of the rest.
What did Mike Pence say?
Vice President Mike Pence said Trump would use his address to explain to the American people that there is "a humanitarian and security crisis" at the southern US border.
Pence, speaking to ABC, CBS and NBC, did not say whether Trump had made a decision or if the White House had completed its legal review of such a declaration, which would likely face an immediate legal challenge.
"We believe we can solve this through the legislative process," he told CBS, urging Democrats to negotiate.
On Monday, Pence told reporters that progress was made in weekend talks that he led between administration officials and congressional staff over how to break the funding impasse and reopen the government.
Source: Read Full Article