"No wall should be funded on the pain and suffering of US citizens who have endured tragedy and loss through a natural disaster," Rossell tweeted. "This include those citizens that live in CA, TX, PR, VI and other jurisdictions. Today its us, tomorrow it could be you."
On Friday, the Associated Press reported that Trump is reportedly considering using disaster relief funds earmarked for hurricane-prone areas such as Puerto Rico and Texas to pay for the US-Mexico border wall. According to the AP, the White House directed the Army Corps of Engineers to comb through its budget, which includes $13.9 billion in emergency funds, to see if any money could be used for wall-building purposes.
Last year, Congress allocated nearly $14 billion in emergency disaster relief funds for projects in states including California, Florida, and Texas, as well as in Puerto Rico, a US territory, the AP reported. The money, however, hasn't yet been assigned to any contracts.
On Twitter, Rossell said there is "no justification" for reclassifying money meant to help US citizens rebuild their communities. He added, "if anything, the conversation should be how we get more resources to rebuild those impacted areas faster."
"This is a classic case of choosing between obstruction and construction. Which side are you on, @realDonaldTrump?" he asked on another tweet.
Because the sources in the original AP story are anonymous, Rossell asked the president to "explicitly state what his intent is."
"Mr. President, dont tear down US citizens in order to build a wall. Help the USA rebuild," he said.
Puerto Rico is still recuperating from Hurricane Maria, the devastating 2017 disaster that left a death toll of more than 1,400. The majority of the deaths were associated with a lack of medical care caused by widespread power outages, especially affecting those who relied on certain machines to stay alive.
The electric grid outage in the island is now the largest power blackout in US history. It took nearly a year for electricity to be restored in almost all of Puerto Rico.
SEE ALSO: Trump could end up taking money from Puerto Rico disaster funds to build his border wall
