WASHINGTON -- With Congress unlikely to give the president the border wall funding he wants, he is once again toying with an emergency declaration to go around the legislative body. 

That idea is not necessarily receiving a ringing endorsement on Capitol Hill, including from members of the North Carolina delegation.

"It's not my first choice. I think we have to go through the legislative process," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-10th District, echoing the thoughts of several of his fellow North Carolina Republicans.

If the president declared a national emergency, it would allow him to sidestep Congress to build the wall.

Several Republicans worry it could set a bad precedent, paving the way for a Democratic president in the future to declare emergencies on progressive issues like climate change or guns.

Across the aisle, Democrats like Rep. G.K. Butterfield, who represents the 1st district, question whether such a declaration is even legal. 

"The president would be on real thin ice to declare a national emergency over the border," Butterfield said. "I think he would be challenged in court and again he will lose."

Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8th district, disagrees with Butterfield on this point, saying he believes it is within the president's power. However, he still has concerns, especially when it comes to the issue of money.

To pay for the wall, the president would have to divert funding from somewhere else, such as military construction. Hudson worries that a declaration could directly impact projects at Fort Bragg. 

He said he has voiced his concerns to the president.

"Fort Bragg has a lot of needs. Over the last 10 years with devastating budget cuts in defense, we’ve had a lot of neglect when it comes to upkeep and maintenance on facilities," he said.

Still, other members of the North Carolina delegation, like Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-5th district, do not outright object to the proposed declaration and believe he has a "compelling" reason for such an order.

"If the president and his advisers decide that’s what they need to do, then that’s what they need to do," she said.

Behind closed doors, negotiators on Capitol Hill continue to work on a potential border security deal. North Carolina Democrat David Price is among the bipartisan group of lawmakers.

The wild card is whether the president will endorse any plan they come up with. Funding for several government agencies runs out next Friday, February 15.