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The migrants, who are part of a caravan of thousands of people from Central America heading for the United States, cross the Tijuana River on Sunday to reach the border wall between the United States and the United States. Mexico in Tijuana, Mexico. (Alkis Konstantinidis / Reuters)
Erica Werner
Congress reporter focuses on economic policy
President Trump told congressional Republicans that he would not give up his $ 5 billion request for the construction of a wall along the Mexican border, increasing the chances of a partial closure of the government by the end of next week.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) Told reporters on Monday that the President had made it clear that the $ 5 billion was a red line and would not take less. The Democrats rejected this figure and agreed on $ 1.6 billion.
We do not really know how to make a difference, especially with the clashes that are taking place along the US-Mexico border, highlighting what Trump says is the need to enhance security and physical barriers. Although the bulk of the federal government has been funded until next fall, the Department of Homeland Security and a handful of other agencies have exhausted funds at midnight on December 7, unless Congress and the President act first.
"The president is interested in $ 5 billion; how can we do it? You can set it up in different ways, "Shelby told reporters as the Senate resumed work after a week off Thanksgiving.
When asked if the $ 5 billion figure was a red line for the president, Shelby replied, "That's what he told us."
Shelby added that the president had not shown his willingness to settle for less. "Not from my conversations with him," said the senator. A spokesman for the White House did not comment immediately.
Shelby's comments suggest a deadlock when a partial stop is imminent and the Republicans are preparing to lose their majority in the House. They are thus likely to find the money he wants for his unsuccessful campaign promise to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. . Trump has long promised Mexico to pay for the wall, although it has become clear that US taxpayers will pay the bill.
Trump has already formulated ultimatums before going back, but some close to the president believe that he was harder dug at the time, believing this is his last chance to secure significant funds before the Democrats do not take control of the House of Representatives in January.
An option in the study would divide the $ 5 billion over two years, according to a familiar source of the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe confidential deliberations.
Trump himself has repeatedly mentioned the possibility of a closure and suggested that it would be a good time for this one considering the caravan of migrants approaching the border. On Sunday, US authorities fired tear gas at Mexico as Central American migrants tried to cross border protection barriers – a show of force defended on Monday by Trump, saying the authorities "owed" the make.
During Thanksgiving, Trump told reporters that a wall hang could "happen."
"Can there be a stop? It could certainly, "said Trump." And it will be border security, of which the wall is a part. "
Republican House leaders will meet Tuesday at the White House with Trump to discuss the issue. Earlier this year, GOP leaders persuaded Trump to postpone the fight around his border wall until the end of the elections, fearing that such a conflict would hurt them at the halfway mark.
Now, Trump seems to want this fight – even as congressional GOP leaders try to dissuade him from leaving his post.
"I do not think it's a good idea to close the government, not in fashion," said Shelby, who met Trump before Thanksgiving with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky). "But people will ask, and it could happen; it's already happened.
The leader of the Senate minority, Charles E. Schumer (DN.Y.) said earlier this month that legislators should stick to bipartite agreement in an amount of 1 , $ 6 billion agreed earlier this year in the Senate.
"We think Democrats and Republicans should stick to their agreement and not let President Trump intervene," Schumer said. "Whenever it comes in, it hangs."
Congressional assistants said negotiations were underway, but it is unclear what progress they have made. If an agreement can not be found, Congress may be willing to pass a short-term spending bill that extends current funding levels, but it is not certain that Trump will accept that.
Democrats hope to use the end-of-year spending bill to advance their own priorities. Schumer said Monday that he wanted to match the spending bill with a bill protecting special advocate Robert S. Mueller III. But Shelby dismissed this idea by saying, "I've never heard of this kind of inclusion."
Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.
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