PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on a federal appeals court hearing on the Trump administration’s planned border wall (all times local):
1:15 p.m.
A legal challenge to President Trump’s planned border wall hinges on whether the state of California and environmental groups can fight the project in court.
Judges at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday struggled with whether the case should even be before them.
At issue before the three-judge panel in Pasadena is a 2005 law that gave the Homeland Security secretary broad authority to waive all legal requirements to expedite constructing sections of border wall. The law also restricts legal challenges.
The state and advocacy groups contend the authority to bypass those laws expired and the court can consider their claims that the federal government must comply with environmental laws.
If the groups are allowed to press their claims they could stall or derail the project.
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9 a.m.
A small crowd is protesting the Trump administration’s planned border wall outside a Los Angeles-area courthouse where a three-judge panel will hear arguments that the White House overreached to speed up construction of the wall.
California is appealing a decision by U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who sided with the administration in February.
At issue Tuesday is a 2005 law that gave the Homeland Security secretary broad authority to waive dozens of laws including the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act. The laws are subject to prolonged legal challenges that can delay or even derail projects.
About 15 demonstrators outside the courthouse chanted slogans like, “Stand up, fight back” and carried signs that said, “No walls in the wild” and “Freedom for immigrants.”
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12:05 a.m.
A federal appeals court will hear arguments by the state of California and advocacy groups who contend the Trump administration overreached by waiving environmental reviews to speed construction of the president’s prized border wall with Mexico.
California is appealing a decision by U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel of San Diego, who sided with the administration in February. The president had repeatedly berated Curiel during the 2016 campaign over an unrelated case involving fraud allegations and now-defunct Trump University.
At issue Tuesday before a three-judge panel in Pasadena, California, is a 2005 law that gave the Homeland Security secretary broad authority to waive dozens of laws including the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act. The laws are subject to prolonged legal challenges that can delay or even derail projects.
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