California sues over Trump’s wall plan

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s attorney general sued President Donald Trump’s administration Wednesday over its plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, arguing it’s overstepping its authority by waiving environmental reviews and other laws.

The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, makes arguments similar to those in a lawsuit brought last week by advocacy groups.

Both lawsuits aim to stop design, planning and construction on the wall. The cases focus on halting the construction of wall prototypes in San Diego and the replacement of barriers there and in Calexico, Calif.

“The Trump administration has once again ignored laws it doesn’t like in order to resuscitate a campaign talking point to build a wall on our southern border,” Becerra said at a news conference near the border in San Diego. Becerra’s remarks came shortly after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions appeared at an event near the border to discuss drug seizures. Asked about the lawsuits, Sessions said anyone has a right to sue but that his responsibility is to defend U.S. borders.

“We would expect to be fully successful in moving forward with our border wall as Congress gives us the money to do so,” Sessions said.

Democrats have balked at Trump’s $1.6 billion request for border-wall funding in the next fiscal year.

The federal government recently waived environmental reviews on a 15-mile stretch of border in San Diego. Eight contracts have been awarded, and construction of wall prototypes is expected to begin this fall.

The administration also waived environmental reviews involving a 3-mile stretch of border in Calexico. It granted the waivers under a 2005 law intended to speed up construction of barriers along the border.

The law allows the government to waive laws including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Becerra said that authority expired in 2008.