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Case Name
El Paso County v. Trump
IM-TX-0052
Docket / Court
3:19-cv-00066-DB ( W.D. Tex. )
State/Territory
Texas
Case Type(s)
Immigration and/or the Border
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Special Collection
Civil Rights Challenges to Trump Immigration Enforcement Orders
Case Summary
This case challenged President Trump's use of presidential emergency powers to allocate funds to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
On February 20, 2019, El Paso County of Texas and Border Network for Human Rights, Inc. filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western ...
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This case challenged President Trump's use of presidential emergency powers to allocate funds to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
On February 20, 2019, El Paso County of Texas and Border Network for Human Rights, Inc. filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiffs sued President Trump and the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Interior, and Treasury for unlawfully funding barriers at the U.S.-Mexico border. The plaintiffs, represented by The Protect Democracy Project, Niskanen Center, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, and others, sought declaratory and injunctive relief to stop the defendants from taking any action under the President’s Proclamation of February 15, 2019, which declared a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Specifically, the complaint alleged that President Trump exerted power beyond constitutional and statutory limits by seeking to allocate funds for a border wall that Congress did not appropriate. On February 2019, Congress passed the 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which allocated $1.375 billion in funding for fencing in specific locations along the southern border. President Trump then issued the Proclamation in order to access additional funds for the construction of a border wall under the National Emergencies Act (“NEA”), 50 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq., citing 10 U.S.C. § 2808, the military construction statute, as a funding source. The complaint alleged that the defendants violated the Constitution by usurping Congress' exclusive power to appropriate funds, the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 551
et seq.
) by implementing the Proclamation in an arbitrary and capricious manner, and the NEA itself because no national emergency existed.
The plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on April 25, 2019, which emphasized the plaintiffs' allegations that the Proclamation would harm El Paso County's tourism and economic development. On the same day, the plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment or, in the alternative, a preliminary injunction. The defendants also filed a motion for summary judgment on June 10, 2019, claiming, among other things, that the plaintiffs lacked standing and failed to satisfy APA requirements for review of agency action.
The court (Judge David Briones) granted plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment or, in the alternative, a preliminary injunction and denied the defendant’s motion for summary judgment on October 11, 2019. The court determined that the plaintiffs had standing and the Proclamation was invalid as a matter of law; it also asked the plaintiffs to submit a proposal for injunctive relief. 408 F. Supp 3d 840.
On December 10, 2019, Judge Briones granted a permanent injunction against the use of funds appropriated for “military construction” under 10 U.S.C. § 2808 for border wall construction. The Court also declared the Proclamation unlawful. 407 F. Supp. 3d 655. On the same day, the defendants filed a notice of appeal. The defendants filed a motion to stay the permanent injunction, pending appeal, on December 16, 2019. Judge Briones denied the motion the next day.
This case is ongoing.
Kevin Longhany - 11/21/2019
Bogyung Lim - 02/25/2020
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Issues and Causes of Action
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Issues
Immigration/Border
Border wall
Plaintiff Type
City/County Plaintiff
Causes of Action
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)
Case Details
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Defendant(s)
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Interior
Department of Treasury
President of the United States
Plaintiff Description
El Paso County of Texas and the Border Network for Human Rights, Inc.
Class action status sought
No
Class action status granted
No
Filed Pro Se
No
Prevailing Party
Plaintiff
Public Int. Lawyer
Yes
Nature of Relief
Declaratory Judgment
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief
Litigation
Filed
02/20/2019
Case Ongoing
Yes
Additional Resources
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See this case
at CourtListener.com
(May provide additional documents and, for active cases, real-time alerts)
Implementation of Executive Order 13768, "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States
The Washington Post
Date: May 22, 2017
By: Jefferson Sessions (U.S. Department of Justice)
[ Detail ]
[ External Link ]
Re: Implementing the President's Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements Policies (Final, 2/20/2017)
dhs.gov
Date: Feb. 20, 2017
By: DHS Secretary John Kelly (United States Department of Homeland Security)
[ Detail ]
[ PDF ]
[ External Link ]
Re: Enforcement of the Immigration Laws to Serve the National Interest (Final, 2/20/2017)
dhs.gov
Date: Feb. 20, 2017
By: DHS Secretary John Kelly (United States Department of Homeland Security)
[ Detail ]
[ PDF ]
[ External Link ]
Executive Order 13767: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements
Federal Register
Date: Jan. 27, 2017
By: President Donald Trump (Office of the President)
Citation: 82 Fed. Reg. Presidential Documents 8793 (Jan. 27, 2017)
[ Detail ]
[ PDF ]
Executive Order 13768: Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States
Federal Register
Date: Jan. 25, 2017
By: President Donald Trump (Office of the President)
[ Detail ]
[ PDF ]
[ External Link ]
Documents
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Court
Docket(s)
W.D. Tex.
04/29/2020
3:19-cv-00066
IM-TX-0052-9000.pdf
|
Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
General Documents
W.D. Tex.
02/20/2019
Complaint [ECF# 1]
IM-TX-0052-0001.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
W.D. Tex.
04/25/2019
Plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint [ECF# 52]
IM-TX-0052-0002.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
W.D. Tex.
04/25/2019
Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the Alternative, a Preliminary Injunction [ECF# 54]
IM-TX-0052-0003.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
W.D. Tex.
06/10/2019
Memorandum in Support of the Government's Cross-Motion to Dismiss or for Summary Judgment, and Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment and a Preliminary Injunction [ECF# 95]
IM-TX-0052-0004.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
W.D. Tex.
10/11/2019
Memorandum Opinion [ECF# 129]
(408 F.Supp.3d 840)
IM-TX-0052-0005.pdf
|
WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
W.D. Tex.
10/24/2019
[Proposed] Order Granting a Declaratory Judgment and Permanent Injunction [ECF# 133]
IM-TX-0052-0006.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
W.D. Tex.
12/10/2019
Memorandum Opinion [ECF# 136]
(407 F.Supp.3d 655)
IM-TX-0052-0007.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
People
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Judges
Briones, David
(W.D. Tex.)
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IM-TX-0052-0005 | IM-TX-0052-0006 | IM-TX-0052-0007 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Plaintiff's Lawyers
Bookbinder, David
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Dollan, Matthew R.
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
El−Mallawany, Deana K
(Massachusetts)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Florence, Justin
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Gerson, Stuart M.
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Hussein, Shaimaa M.
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Llanes, Stephanie
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Mancino, Richard
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
McDowell, Ephraim A
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Metlitsky, Anton
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Newland, Erica
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Padalino, John Charles
(Texas)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Parker, Kristy
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Prince, Samatha G
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Tribe, Laurence
(Massachusetts)
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IM-TX-0052-0001 | IM-TX-0052-0002 | IM-TX-0052-0003 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Defendant's Lawyers
Burnham, James M
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Davis, Kathryn Celia
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0004
Gerardi, Michael J.
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0004 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Vigen, Leslie Cooper
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0004
Warden, Andrew Irwin
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0004 | IM-TX-0052-9000
Westmoreland, Rachel Lynn
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-0004
Other Lawyers
Abraham, Joseph M
(Texas)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Badat, Mohammed A
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Beeler, E Christopher
(California)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Bernstein, Richard D.
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Borgelt, Roger
(Texas)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Fowler, Charles E
(Texas)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Goitein, Elizabeth
(District of Columbia)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Hicks, Max Renea
(Texas)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Liu, Angela M.
(Illinois)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Mangi, Adeel Abdullah
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Richards, Clark Willis
(Texas)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
Zalesin, Steven Alan
(New York)
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IM-TX-0052-9000
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