US President Donald Trump has doubled down on a plan for US$5.8b 'see-through steel barrier' at the border, after dangling more money for humanitarian help to end the US government shutdown.
US President Donald Trump has doubled down on a plan for US$5.8b 'see-through steel barrier' at the border, after dangling more money for humanitarian help to end the US government shutdown.
Trump is offering to extend temporary protection for people brought to US illegally as children in a bid to secure border wall funding.
Trump has struggled to find a way out of a four-week partial government shutdown over his demand to construct a wall between the US and Mexico.
Trump promoted his plan Saturday as a way to "break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown."
Trump is also offering to extend protections for immigrants who came to the US as a result of war or natural disasters in their home countries.
Trump said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will bring the proposal for a vote in the Senate this week. But Democrats, who control the House, are already saying they find the president's offer unacceptable.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Donald Trump's forthcoming proposal for ending the 29-day partial government shutdown is a "non-starter."
Minutes before Trump was to unveil his plan at the White House, the California Democrat said early reports about the proposal indicated it was insufficient.
Trump wants to trade temporary protections against deportation for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants for money to build his wall. Democrats want the protections to be permanent and want him to reopen government before negotiating on border security.
The California Democrat says Trump's expected offer is "not a good-faith effort" to help the immigrants and could not pass the House.
The White House has billed Trump's plan as an attempt to end the shutdown. But it's drawn nothing but negative reviews from Democrats so far.
Ahead of a speech to America this morning, in which the President plans to propose a fresh solution, here are 50 ways the shutdown is now hurting America:
1. 380,000 government workers are "furloughed" (on leave without pay).
2. 420,000 are working without pay.
3. Workers cannot pay their bills or rent and are relying on charity for groceries and essentials including nappies.
3. Tens of thousands of government contractors are going without pay — and are less likely to receive back pay.
4. Contractors could be losing up to $200 million per day.
Passengers are waiting in long lines at security in major airports including JFK in New York. Photo / Getty Images
5. Experts have warned the economy is already showing signs of a negative impact.
6. JP Morgan lowered its GDP estimate to 2 per cent from 2.25 per cent for the first quarter, citing the shutdown as the primary reason.
7. Others who need a pay cheque are seeking new jobs, leading to fears of a "brain drain" from the government.
8. Transportation Security Administration workers are calling in sick while working other jobs or looking for new ones, leading to closed checkpoints, long delays and missed flights at major airports.
9. Aviation workers say there are not enough inspectors carrying out important flight safety checks.
10. Half of staff at the Food and Drug Administration are off work, and some inspections of meat, fruit, seafood and vegetables have stopped.
11. The FBI warned the operations were being hindered with almost 5000 staff off work, investigations stalling and evidence piling up.
12. The Red Cross has had to step in to support unpaid members of the Coast Guard.
13. The backlog in immigration cases is growing with most immigration courts closed and some applicants reassigned new court dates years from now.
Jack Lyons, a contractor working on massive rocket test stands for NASA, may not see a dollar from the shutdown- so he's working on a small side business making props for marching bands. Photo / AP
14. Almost all civil cases in federal courts, including discrimination and whistleblower cases, have been delayed.
15. A lawsuit relating to alleged violations by the President relating to his Trump International Hotel in Washington is on hold.
16. A lawsuit to defend the Affordable Care Act (or "Obamacare" has been delayed.
17. Some National Parks are closed as toilets overflow and litter piles up due to staff shortages, meaning lost tourism dollars.
Donald Trump maintained he would install 'powerful, strong border security' at the border, as the shutdown continues. Photo / AP
24. Farmers suffering because of Chinese tariffs on soybeans are not receiving subsidies with the Farm Service Agency shut.
25. Other farmers are hindered because the shuttered Agriculture Department has not released its supply and demand report, which helps them determine what to plant next season.
26. Manufacturers have no idea how much materials will cost this year because the Commerce Department is not processing requests for exemptions from metal tariffs.
27. Environmental Protection Agency pollution inspectors are not working.
28. Delays to tax filing are expected, with the Internal Revenue Service short-staffed and unable to answer questions.
29. Some workers and unions have sued the government over the shutdown.
30. Employers cannot use the federal system, E-Verify, to confirm whether staff have US work rights.
31. Taxi and ride-share drivers in Washington, DC, report a lack of work without tourists and federal workers in the city.
32. Restaurants, food trucks and other businesses that serve federal workers are suffering a huge decline in business.
33. Unemployment benefit costs have soared with furloughed federal workers and contractors eligible to claim.
34. The Bureau of Land Management dipped into reserve funds to open an Alaska office for public meetings on a plan to make Arctic land available for oil and gas leasing purchases.
Unpaid federal workers and their families are turning to non-profits including Chef Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen for food and essentials. Photo / AP
35. Credit ratings agency Moody's reported that mass transit systems had temporarily lost financial aid for operations including daily maintenance and service, ongoing repair and expansion projects.
42. Banks could lose $US249 million ($369.2 million) in monthly mortgage payments from federal workers, according to Zillow.
43. National Transportation Safety Board investigations of fatal accidents have been put on hold.
44. The Federal Communications Commission has stopped most of its operations, including its Consumer Complaint Center.
45. Business owners cannot close on Small Business Administration loans, with one saying he could lose a property he was trying to buy and money spent on appraisals and fees.
46. The National Hurricane Center is facing delays to vital upgrades.
47. States including Oklahoma are delaying contracts for road and bridge construction.
