Trump threat of shutdown if he can’t get cash for wall

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has claimed he is willing to shut down the government if Democrats refuse to vote for his immigration proposals, including building a wall along the US-Mexico border.

Mr Trump’s tweet yesterday comes two days after the Senate’s top Republican, Mitch McConnell, said in a home-state radio interview that a shutdown was not going to happen.

“I would be willing to ‘shut down’ government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall! Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT!” Mr Trump wrote.

In the Kentucky radio interview, Mr McConnell did acknowledge that the border funding issue probably would not be resolved until later this year, after the November election.

Mr Trump returned to the idea of shutting down the government over the wall issue just days after meeting at the White House with Mr McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan to discuss the autumn legislative agenda.

Congress has given the president some wall funding but not as much as he has requested.

Mr Trump also wants changes to legal immigration, including scrapping a visa lottery programme. In addition, he wants to end the practice of releasing immigrants caught entering the country illegally on condition they show up for court hearings.

He has also demanded that the US shifts to an immigration system based more on merit and less on family ties.