Foes of border declaration closing in on votes needed

Senate Democrats need just four Republicans to join their effort.

WASHINGTON — Senate opponents of President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the Mexican border have moved very close to having enough votes to prevail, and one Republican suggested the president risks a rebuff by the GOP-led chamber if he doesn’t change course.

What it means Why it matters

The Democratic-led House voted Tuesday to upend Trump’s declaration, which he declared to circumvent Congress and funnel billions of extra dollars to erecting his proposed wall.

Trump has promised to veto the effort to thwart him, and Con- gress seems all but certain to lack the two-thirds majorities in each chamber that would be needed to override his veto. But the showdown puts GOP lawmakers in a ticklish spot party leaders are hoping to ease.

While the wall elicits wide public opposition, Trump remains popular with hard-right voters and GOP lawmakers cross him at their peril. Trump warned Republicans anew against challenging him.

“I really think that Republicans that vote against border security and the wall, I think you know, I’ve been OK at predicting things, I think they put themselves at great jeopardy,” Trump said in excerpts of an interview with Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” show released Thursday.

What’s next

Republicans say a Senate vote is likely in two weeks, but exactly what the Senate will vote on remains unclear.

SANDY HUFFAKER / GETTY IMAGES Construction workers build a secondary border wall Feb. 22 in Otay Mesa, California. The Department of Homeland Security is building 12.5 miles of secondary border wall.