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US shutdown: Empowered Democrats refuse funds for Trump wall | US shutdown: Empowered Democrats refuse funds for Trump wall |
(35 minutes later) | |
US President Donald Trump's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border is at stake in a major budget battle this week. | US President Donald Trump's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border is at stake in a major budget battle this week. |
A partial government shutdown is looming on Friday if Congress cannot agree funding for federal agencies. | A partial government shutdown is looming on Friday if Congress cannot agree funding for federal agencies. |
Newly empowered Democrats are refusing White House demands for $5bn (£3.9bn) towards constructing such a wall. | Newly empowered Democrats are refusing White House demands for $5bn (£3.9bn) towards constructing such a wall. |
Mr Trump said last week he would be "proud" to shut down his own government if he does not secure the funding. | Mr Trump said last week he would be "proud" to shut down his own government if he does not secure the funding. |
The Republican president has been unable to loosen legislative purse strings for the project, even with his party controlling both the Senate and House of Representatives for nearly two years. | |
That challenge is only likely to get more difficult once Democrats formally regain control of the lower chamber of Congress from January. | |
What are both sides saying? | What are both sides saying? |
On Sunday, White House senior adviser Stephen Miller told CBS Face the Nation that Mr Trump is "absolutely" ready to let a shutdown occur. | On Sunday, White House senior adviser Stephen Miller told CBS Face the Nation that Mr Trump is "absolutely" ready to let a shutdown occur. |
"The Democrat Party has a simple choice," he said. "They can either choose to fight for America's working class or to promote illegal immigration. You can't do both." | "The Democrat Party has a simple choice," he said. "They can either choose to fight for America's working class or to promote illegal immigration. You can't do both." |
On Monday, Mr Trump took to Twitter to attack Democrats who say "you can have good Boarder [sic] Security without a Wall". | On Monday, Mr Trump took to Twitter to attack Democrats who say "you can have good Boarder [sic] Security without a Wall". |
The president has previously requested $25bn for the project. | The president has previously requested $25bn for the project. |
But in the current spending impasse, Democrats say they are only willing to sign off up to $1.6bn. | But in the current spending impasse, Democrats say they are only willing to sign off up to $1.6bn. |
And that money comes with conditions - it could only be used to upgrade existing fencing along the border, not to build a wall. | |
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer appeared on NBC Meet the Press on Sunday, and vowed Mr Trump "is not going to get the wall in any form". | Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer appeared on NBC Meet the Press on Sunday, and vowed Mr Trump "is not going to get the wall in any form". |
"We should not let a temper tantrum - threats - push us in the direction of doing something that everybody, even our Republican colleagues, know is wrong," said the New York senator. | "We should not let a temper tantrum - threats - push us in the direction of doing something that everybody, even our Republican colleagues, know is wrong," said the New York senator. |
What happens in a shutdown? | What happens in a shutdown? |
Border security funding only constitutes a fraction of the $450bn or so Congress is set to approve to fund federal agencies that will otherwise run out of money on 21 December. | |
Roughly a quarter of the federal government - including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture, State, and Justice - will shut down at midnight on Friday if no deal is reached. | Roughly a quarter of the federal government - including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture, State, and Justice - will shut down at midnight on Friday if no deal is reached. |
The US Postal Service, which is delivering a flurry of packages ahead of Christmas, will not be affected because it is an independent agency. | The US Postal Service, which is delivering a flurry of packages ahead of Christmas, will not be affected because it is an independent agency. |
Has Trump started building the wall? | Has Trump started building the wall? |
Despite repeatedly claiming that construction on the wall is under way, Mr Trump's long-promised physical barrier has yet to materialise. | Despite repeatedly claiming that construction on the wall is under way, Mr Trump's long-promised physical barrier has yet to materialise. |
The Department of Homeland Security has replaced some old barriers and is erecting fewer than 40 miles of new bollard fencing. | The Department of Homeland Security has replaced some old barriers and is erecting fewer than 40 miles of new bollard fencing. |
But those barriers bear little resemblance to the wall prototypes unveiled by the president to much fanfare this year and last. | But those barriers bear little resemblance to the wall prototypes unveiled by the president to much fanfare this year and last. |