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Sen. Alexander: President's decision to declare national emergency to build a wall 'unwise'

“It is inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution because, after the American Revolution against a king, our founders chose not to create a chief executive with the power to tax the people and spend their money any way he chooses."

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) is criticizing President Donald Trump's decision to call a national emergency on the Southern border, calling the decision 'unnecessary, unwise and inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution.'

Alexander released the statement Friday shortly after the president declared a national emergency in an effort to obtain federal funding for his long-promised border wall. 

READ MORE: Trump declares national emergency to get $8 billion for wall

After Congress approved less money than he sought for a wall, Trump said he would use executive action to reallocate billions of dollars more from federal military construction and counterdrug efforts for the wall. 

The president made the announcement from the Rose Garden, as he claimed illegal immigration was "an invasion of our country."

"The president has made a strong case for increased border security, but declaring a national emergency is unnecessary, unwise and inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution," Alexander said. "It is unnecessary because significant additional money already has been approved by Congress that he could spend on border security without declaring a national emergency."

Alexander said he thinks the president's decision was unwise, saying it could set a precedent for future presidents to declare national emergencies to bypass Congress to obtain funding in a number of situations -- including tearing down sections of wall that get built, or redirecting money to address climate change, for instance. 

“It is inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution because, after the American Revolution against a king, our founders chose not to create a chief executive with the power to tax the people and spend their money any way he chooses," Alexander said. "The Constitution gives that authority exclusively to a Congress elected by the people.”

On Thursday, Alexander voted for the border security funding compromise to avert another shutdown, calling it a 'significant down payment on border security.'

The new law included $22 billion for border security, with $1.4 billion of that money earmarked to pay for 55 miles of new physical barriers on the Southern border. The rest would provide funding for more border agents and technology to secure ports of entry. 

►RELATED: TN Congressmen react to border spending deal's passage

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