UNITED STATES—On Saturday, January 19, President Donald Trump made an announcement regarding the federal government shutdown and a proposal for the border wall.

Trump spoke about a broken immigration system that has been problematic for years. He stated that mothers give their young daughters birth control pills to take on their trek up the border knowing that they could be sexually abused, raped, or accosted.

The United States has been under a partial government shutdown since December 22, 2018.

President Trump addressed the country from the Diplomatic Room of The White House, where he indicated the crisis at the southern border requires immediate action

“A common sense compromise both parties should embrace,” said Trump.

President Trump’s plan states the following:

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT FUNDING: The bipartisan and common sense legislation proposed by President Trump will reopen our government and secure the border.

  • $5.7 billion to fund a steel barrier system, including embedded investments in technology and roads, on our southern border in the priority areas cited by Border Patrol.
    • This is in addition to the more than 115 miles of barriers already built, replaced, or contracted under President Trump.
  • $805 million for technology, canines, and personnel to help stop the flow of illegal drugs, weapons and other contraband. This includes:
    • $675 million for drug detection inspection technology to help secure our ports of entry.
    • $130 million for canine units, training, personnel and portable scanners to help deter and detect smuggled narcotics, weapons, and other dangerous materials.
  • $800 million dollars in humanitarian assistance, medical support, and new temporary housing.
  • $782 million to hire an additional 2,750 border agents, law enforcement officers, and staff.
  • $563 million to support our immigration court system, including hiring 75 new immigration judge teams to reduce the immigration court backlog of 800,000 cases.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rejected Trump’s proposal, declaring it D.O.A. The statement below comes from Speaker of the House website:

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