President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to draw funds for the construction of a wall or barrier on the border between the United States and Mexico. The national emergency, which Trump threatened throughout the government shutdown earlier in the year, has been challenge by the democratically controlled House of Representatives and by numerous lawsuits.

The national emergency would grant $8 billion for the construction of the border wall, which is more than the $5.7 billion originally demanded by Trump during the shutdown earlier in the year that occurred over funding for the border wall.

“[Trump’s] policies are a new form of tackling the government,” junior Alex Bresendeiner said.

The national emergency declaration came after congress refused numerous motions to fund the border wall. While it has been overturned by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, that legislation was vetoed by Trump.

“I believe Congress will hopefully keep him in check by at least his second term,” sophomore Courtney Ledbetter said.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed in opposition of the national emergency declaration. One lawsuit was filed by Public Citizen, a government watchdog group, in the District of Columbia. The lawsuit argues Trump overreached the powers granted to the president under the national emergency act, which gives the president the power to declare a national emergency to appropriate funds without congressional approval in certain situations.

“The president has no inherent authority to declare emergencies to override appropriations laws and other laws enacted by Congress; his emergency powers are defined and limited by statute,” the lawsuit filed by Public Citizen said, according to USA Today.

Another lawsuit has been filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics surrounding the national emergency. This lawsuit does not focus directly on the national emergency, but instead focuses on freedom of information act requests filed by the organization surrounding the national emergency declaration.

“[Trump] raised the amount of jobs and lowered taxes he also lowered the amount of illegal immigrants, which I like,” freshman Landon Fouse said.