Donald Trump: Protection to immigrants in return of wall funds

Building the US-Mexico wall has been one of the major promises Trump (inset) made during his 2016 presidential election campaign

Washington: US President Donald Trump launched a new plan to end a government shutdown, which has been ongoing for nearly a month, by offering protection from deportations for some undocumented immigrants in exchange for $5.7 billion for constructing a wall on the US-Mexico border.

The Democrats, however, rejected the deal as a "non-starter" and called on Trump to open the government before negotiations on immigration could start. Trump offered that he would give protection from deportation for young people brought to the country illegally as children (Dreamers) and also extend it to those with temporary protected status (TPS) after fleeing countries affected by natural disasters or violence.

The president also called for $800 million in "urgent humanitarian assistance" and $805 million for drug detection technology to help secure US ports of entry. Trump proposed a slew of measures to increase border security, including an increase in law enforcement, saying he was offering a "common sense compromise".

The president said these concessions would "build the trust and goodwill necessary to begin real immigration reform." The divide between the Trump-led Republican Party and the Democratic Party led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the border wall led to the partial shutdown.

The longest in the US history, the shutdown entered its 29th day on Saturday. "Both sides in Washington must simply come together," Trump said adding that he is trying to "break the logjam."

"It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices who fear compromise and demand open borders, which means drugs pouring in, human trafficking and a lot of crime," he said.

Trump said he wanted to provide Congress with a path forward to end the shutdown and solve the crisis. Defending his plan for the border wall, he said, "The radical left can never control our borders. Walls are not immoral, in fact they are the opposite of immoral because they will save many lives."

10 lakh
Total no. of immigrants Trump offered protection to

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