US President Donald Trump is to declare a national emergency to fund his planned border wall with Mexico, the White House has said.
He will sign a border security bill to avert a government shutdown – but also act to bypass Congress and use military funds for the wall, a statement said.
“President Trump will sign the government funding bill, and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action—including a national emergency—to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border.”
Senior Democrats have responded by accusing him of committing a “gross abuse of power” and a “lawless act”.
Building the wall was a key election promise by Mr Trump.