Trump sounds shutdown alarm
Challenges Dems over wall, other immigration plans
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would consider shutting down the government if Democrats refuse to vote for his immigration proposals, including a U.s.-mexico border wall.
Republicans, trying to protect their majority in Congress, are playing down the chance of a shutdown as the November election nears. Trump, however, isn’t backing away from the idea.
“I would be willing to ‘shut down’ government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall!” Trump tweeted. “Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT!
“We need great people coming into our Country!” Trump said.
Trump returned to the idea of shutting down the government over the border wall after meeting at the White House last week with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell, R-KY., to discuss the fall legislative agenda.
Mcconnell, asked about a shutdown, said it was not going to happen. He did acknowledge that the border-funding issue was unlikely to be resolved before the midterm elections.
Ryan said after the meeting, “The president’s willing to be patient to make sure that we get what we need so that we can get that done.” He added that money for the wall was “not a question of if, it’s a question of when.”
Trump campaigned on the promise of building a wall to deter illegal immigration and making Mexico pay for it. Mexico has refused.
Congress has given the president some wall funding, but far from the $25 billion he has requested. Trump wants changes to legal immigration, including scrapping a visa lottery program. In addition, he wants to end the practice of releasing immigrants caught entering the country illegally on the condition that they show up for court hearings.
Democrats and some Republicans have objected to some of the changes Trump seeks.
The federal budget year ends Sept. 30, and lawmakers will spend much of August in their states campaigning for re-election. The House is in recess, returning after Labor Day. The Senate remains in session and is set to go on break the week of Aug. 6 before returning for the rest of the month.
Both chambers will have a short window to approve a spending bill before government funding expires.
Trump would be taking a political risk if he did allow most government functions to lapse on Oct. 1 — the first day of the new budget year — roughly a month before the Nov. 6 elections, when Republican control of both the House and Senate is at stake.