Previously, addressing the issue, the US President stated that his Border Security program, which included construction of the Wall on the Mexican border, must be approved by the US Congress in order to create a new system of immigration.
“If we don’t get border security after many, many years of talk within the United States, I would have no problem doing a shutdown,” Trump told reporters
These words echo his previous statements on the issue, including the Sunday tweet, where he tried to convince the opposition to follow his lead and vote for his plan, also considering a possibility of the government shutdown.
“I would be willing to ‘shut down’ government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall!” He tweeted. “Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT,” adding that the Americans need “great people” coming into the country.
The statements were aimed to put pressure on the opposition in the Congress, as Trump’s immigration bill supported by conservative Republicans failed to pass the House of Representatives last week. It included appropriating $25 billion for the wall along the border with Mexico, termination of the diversity visa lottery and more harsh detention rules for the undocumented migrants.
The government has already shut down twice this year — first over a failed deal for the migrants brought to the US illegally as kids, knwon as “dreamers,” and the second — over a funding bill.