AUSTIN, Texas — A couple hundred protesters gathered at Austin's historic Republic Square Park on Monday to join with other Democrats, mainly from a group called MoveOn.org, who held a protest here as well as several other ones across the country.

  • Rally held to protest president's national emergency declaration
  • Say they are worried about the use of eminent domain to build a wall
  • Many lawmakers have filed a motion of disapproval in the House

They say the President Donald Trump’s action Friday to declare a national emergency is damaging and could have long-lasting repercussions.

That's because they say a national emergency allows him to have almost paramount executive powers.

The organizer of this rally says her fears include the president's ability to shut down bank accounts, travel and commerce across borders, and even here within the U.S.

"I sort of live on Twitter, and I just noticed people aren't angry enough,” Karan Shirk said. “They are not frightened and they don't understand that an emergency declaration gives him the ability to seize bank accounts, to seize transportation, to limit movement."

Among those taking the microphone Monday afternoon was Mike Siegel. He ran against incumbent Republican Michael McCaul in the 10th congressional district race in November 2018. He lost by just a couple points, which is why he says he is running in 2020, hoping for another wave of Democratic voters to help push him over that limit.

He is calling on Rep. McCaul and others in Congress to stop the president's actions and join Democrats in that potential veto of the president's national emergency.

Many of the protestors say they are worried about the use of eminent domain to build a wall.

Many lawmakers have filed a motion of disapproval in the House of Representatives.

"If you look at the statements that have been made in the past by Republicans and Democrats, it's clear that there's a lot of opposition,” Rep Joaquin Castro said. “John Cornyn himself said he didn't think the president should do this. So there's been many Republicans who have gone on record."

Holding that vote in the Democrat-led House would force a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.