Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley called President Donald Trump’s decision to declare a national emergency at the US-Mexico border an “abuse of power” that will do nothing to protect the country.

“The occupant of the White House is dangerous. Dangerous to our economy, to our democracy, and to our humanity. Checks and balances were put in place specifically to prevent the type of self-serving, short-sighted actions this Administration has taken,” Pressley, a Boston Democrat, wrote in a statement.

Pressley represents Massachusetts’ 7th district which encompasses parts of Boston, Cambridge, Milton and all of Chelsea, Everett, Randolph, and Somerville.

On Friday Trump declared a national emergency which he says he will use to get funding for a wall at the US-Mexico a border – one of his core campaign promises leading up to the 2016 election.

Trump unsuccessfully lobbied Congress to include $5.7 billion in border wall funds in the most recent budget bill, leading to the longest government shutdown in history. The government reopened January 25 after it was shuttered for 35 days in a fight over the wall funding.

Trump signed a $333 billion bill to finance several Cabinet agencies through September on Friday, which includes $1.4 billion to construct 55 miles of barrier. However, Trump is not satisfied.

By declaring a national emergency Trump can go around Congress and access about $8 billion for border security, White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told The Washington Post.

It is a controversial move decried by Democratic leaders of Congress who promise a legal battle.

“This fake national emergency declaration is an abuse of power and does nothing to make our country safer,” Pressley wrote in her statement. “Mr. Trump, we’ll see you in court.”