Disasters to sanctions, declarations adding up
A national emergency declaration to push a border wall would be the country’s 32nd currently active national emergency, according to the Congressional Research Service.
A national emergency, as defined by the United States Code, is based on “conditions beyond the ordinary” and the need for federal assistance to:
Save lives and protect property,
Maintain national security, Lessen the threat of catastrophe,
Preserve public health and safety,
Administer relief during a natural disaster.
The Constitution allows the suspension of habeas corpus under a national emergency declaration, but presidents have used it broadly to administer sanctions and to divert federal funds. The 31 active national emergencies span over three decades and encompass emergencies declared by presidents Jimmy Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, W. Bush and Obama. They include Bush’s reaction to 9/11 and Clinton’s measure to block proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Obama made 13 national emergency declarations, mainly focused on international sanctions. Trump has declared three, taking steps to:
Block the property of persons involved in serious human rights abuse or corruption, December 2017;
Impose sanctions in the event of foreign interference in a U.S. election, September 2018;
Block property of certain persons contributing to the situation in Nicaragua, November 2018.