Civil Liberties group filed request in California to halt money obtained for border wall

The American Civil Liberties Union is asking a judge to block the Trump administration from constructing a border wall with money obtained through his national emergency declaration. The civil rights group filed the request Thursday in California on behalf of communities along the border and the Sierra Club environmental group.

The court papers say President Donald Trump is overstepping his executive powers by diverting funds from the Department of Defense to Homeland Security for a border wall. The request was filed as part of a February legal challenge.

The request comes after Congressional efforts to stop Trump from diverting funds failed. In addition, a group of 16 states, including California, New York and Colorado, have also filed against the emergency declaration on similar grounds. Trump has blasted the legal action.

(With inputs from agencies.)