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Legislators are in limbo over the amount of funds to be allocated to fund President Donald Trump's request to create a border wall. | J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo
Negotiations to avoid a new government shutdown got bogged down, leaving lawmakers in the same spot where they have been for months.
Although lawmakers were optimistic this weekend, they were ready to reach a border security agreement and fund the government after February 15, but negotiators are currently discussing a proposed borderline law on internal security.
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Senate Finance Committee Chair Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) Acknowledged Sunday that negotiations were at a standstill and that the chances of reaching agreement are at 50-50.
"We have some problems with the Democrats who deal with ICE," Shelby told Shelby to Fox News, referring to the application of the law on immigration and customs. "I am not convinced that we are going to get there, hopefully we will get there, get the re"
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), One of the negotiators, seemed slightly more optimistic.
"We are not at a point where we can announce an agreement, negotiations are continuing," he told Fox News Sunday. "There are good people in this committee, so I am confident that we will reach something very soon."
Testing added that the negotiations "do not usually go smoothly"
The White House acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said that President Donald Trump has no 39, did not exclude another judgment of the Government. "The government shutdown is still technically on the table," Mulvaney told Fox News Sunday. "We do not want this to happen, but this option is still open to the president and will remain so." [19659004] Speaking on "Meet the Press" on NBC, Mulvaney added, "Suppose the Democratic party's hardcore left overrides this negotiation and they're placing a bill on the desk from the president with, say, zero money for the wall or $ 800 million, an absurdly low number.How can he sign this? He can not sign it in good faith. "
Democratic speakers had planned to talk on the phone Sunday morning to discuss next steps, according to a source familiar with the discussions. [19659004] "I would say that everything is not lost, but it is certainly not the place we would like to be," said a congressional source aware of the discussions.
Negotiations culminated in a stalemate Saturday, mostly about detention beds, the source said. Democratic negotiators have offered an agreement to their Republican counterparts, but Republicans are refusing to negotiate until the Democrats resume their request for a cap on the number of beds, the source added
