Trump will use emergency powers to try to get his border wall funded
In the past these powers have been used to impose sanctions on individuals abroad
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she may file a legal challenge
Republican lawmakers so far support move but influential right-wing pundits unhappy
The news comes after a months-long stand-off over funding the wall
Building a wall to stop illegal immigration and drugs was a key Trump campaign promise
It now goes to the House of Representatives for a full vote, which is expected around 18:30 EST (23:30GMT).
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi earlier referred to it as "the bill we will be passing".
Image source, Getty Images"The President is once again delivering on his promise to build the wall, protect the border, and secure our great country," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement after Senator McConnell announced the president's intention to declare a national emergency.
"We're very prepared," she told White House reporters, adding she did not anticipate any legal challenges.
"The president's doing his job. Congress should do theirs."
Conservatives have been voicing their unhappiness with what Trump plans to do.
Commentator Ann Coulter - whose criticism of December's government spending bill due to a lack of border wall funding helped convince Trump not to sign it (and thus triggering the shutdown) - is unhappy that Trump is going to sign the spending bill.
Others fear that this use of emergency powers could now be abused by Democratic presidents.
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The full US Senate is currently voting on a spending bill to avoid a second government shutdown. It includes only a fraction of what Trump wanted to fund a border barrier, but he is set to sign it.
It includes $1.375bn in funding for 55 miles (88km) of new fencing at the border, a small part of the more than 2,000 miles promised by the president.
Members of the president's party have begun to share their support of his decision to declare an emergency on the southern border.
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Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told reporters that she may issue a legal challenge to Trump's national emergency order.
"That’s an option, and we'll review our options," the California congresswoman said when asked by reporters.
She described a national emergency as an "end run around Congress".
"I know the Republicans have some unease about it, no matter what they say.
"If the president can declare an emergency on something that he has created as an 'emergency' - an illusion that he wants to convey - then think of what a president with different values can present to the American people."
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President Donald Trump has said he will sign a spending bill to stop the US government shutting down again - but will also declare a national emergency in order to fund his border wall.
Politicians across the political divide have been responding to the news.
We will bring you the latest reaction here.