What the government shutdown means for American politics

The government shutdown continues to persist due to a disagreement between President Trump and Democrats on border wall funding. Trump has asked Congress for $5 billion in funding for the border wall, but Democrats have refused, leading to a political stalemate with no clear compromise on the horizon.

The White House offered a deal for half of Trump’s proposed amount, with Democrats refusing to go over $1.3 billion in funding for border security which would not include funds for the wall. Other bipartisan solutions were also rejected.

Democrats are set to take control of the House on Wednesday, with leader Nancy Pelosi expected to become Speaker. This will be the first power shift that has occurred for the duration of Trump’s presidency.

However, the disagreements between Trump and Democrats come at a time when the issue of border security and immigration has become a major national dilemma.

Recent cases of migrant children killed in custody have escalated tensions between the parties, leading to multiple protests throughout the nation and intense backlash against the treatment of migrant children by ICE officials.

In response to criticism, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen embarked on a two-day tour of border facilities in Texas and New Mexico on Friday.

While Trump claims that Democrats have refused to negotiate further on the border security deal, Democrats claim that they have not received communication from the White House in weeks. Many Democrats, including Pelosi, are currently out of their offices on vacation, while Trump has cancelled his plans to stay in Washington, DC.

The shutdown has left nine governmental agencies without spending authorization. Coast Guard members will be paid on December 31. Other federal workers are expected to receive their paychecks on January 11, unless a deal hasn’t been reached by then.

Trump also signed an executive order Friday freezing federal workers’ pay and preventing them from receiving a 2.1 percent pay raise that was planned to take effect in January. However, the 2.6 percent pay increase for military members remains unaffected.

The government shutdown highlights the stark differences between conservative and liberal approaches to the immigration issue. While Republicans continue to push for increased border security, deportations, and the construction of the border wall, Democrats take a lighter immigration stance, fighting to keep families together and make it easier for immigrants to enter the country legally.

Democrats haven’t been as strict on immigration-related policy and legislation as Republicans have been, and have focused more on other issues besides immigration, such as healthcare, education, and the environment. These discrepancies between conservative and liberal stances could lead to further conflict and disagreements further along the road. Overall, the government shutdown makes it clear that a definite compromise and bipartisan solution is necessary to address the topic of immigration in the United States.