on february 25, a bipartisan group of 58 former senior national security officials and 25 former republican lawmakers implored congress to overturn trump's emergency declaration. the former lawmakers wrote, "it has always been a republican fundamental principle that no matter how strong our policy preferences, no matter how deep our loyalties to presidents or party leaders, in order to remain a constitutional republic we must act within the borders of the constitution," while the security officials contended that there is no "documented terrorist or national security emergency at the southern border" nor an "emergency related to violent crime."