Trump threatens to close border with Mexico ‘entirely’ unless congress gives him money to build wall

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Donald Trump has threatened to “close the southern border entirely” if congress will not end a partial government shutdown by funding a wall between the US and Mexico.

The American president claimed in a flurry of tweets that shutting the border would be “a profit-making operation” because the country loses “soooo much money on trade” under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which allows labour mobility between the two nations.

His comments come as a partial government shutdown over the border wall looks set to continue into 2019. Democrats have refused to sanction specific spending on the wall, although they have indicated they would be open to funding border security in general, while Mr Trump has refused to back down on the demand.

He tweeted: “We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a Congress & President who would approve!

“The United States looses soooo much money on Trade with Mexico under NAFTA, over 75 Billion Dollars a year (not including Drug Money which would be many times that amount), that I would consider closing the Southern Border a ‘profit making operation’. We build a wall or close the Southern Border.”

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, when asked about Mr Trump’s tweets, told reporters that it was an internal matter for Washington. “We take great care of the relationship with the government of the United States,” Mr Lopez Obrador said.

“Of course we will always defend our sovereignty ... We will always protect migrants, defend their human rights,” he added.

Mr Trump said he wanted to “bring our car industry back into the United States where it belongs” and “go back to pre-NAFTA, before so many of our companies and jobs were so foolishly sent to Mexico”. Mr Trump has repeatedly complained about NAFTA and wants to renegotiate its terms.

Last week, the president appeared resigned to the fact that a $5bn (£4bn) funding pledge for the border wall, one of his key campaign promises, would not be in any agreement. However, after negative reaction from some of his biggest supporters, his stance hardened.

Hundreds of thousands of public workers have downed tools or are working upaid as the dispute holds up an agreement on the federal government spending bill in the waning days of Republican monopoly power in Washington. Fifteen government departments and dozens of agencies have been shuttered.

The impasse has taken a toll on some public services. Gates are closed at some national parks, the government is not issuing new federal flood insurance policies, and the chief judge of Manhattan federal courts has suspended work on civil cases involving US government lawyers, including several civil lawsuits in which Mr Trump himself is a defendant.

Nancy Pelosi, the leading Democrat in the House of Representatives and the incoming speaker of the House, has vowed to pass legislation to end the shutdown as soon as her party takes control on 3 January. However, an end to the stalemate may be difficult to achieve without compromise as the Senate will remain in Republican hands and Mr Trump’s signature is needed to turn any bill into law.

The president has rejected Democrats’ offer to keep border security funding at current levels – including $1.3bn (£1bn) for fencing, but not the wall.

Senate Republicans approved that compromise in an earlier bill with Democrats, but now say they will not vote on any further proposals unless something is agreed by all sides, including Mr Trump.

In interviews on Friday, White House aides sought to pin blame on the Democrat leadership. Press secretary Sarah Sanders said of Democrats: “They’ve left the table altogether, so of course we are far apart.”

“We’re here, and they know where to find us,” Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, said in an interview with Fox News Channel. “Where is Chuck Schumer? Where is Nancy Pelosi? They’re not even talking right now,” he said. Mr Schumer is the top Democrat in the Senate.

“There’s not a single Democrat talking to the President of the United States about this deal,” Mr Mulvaney said. “We do expect this to go on for a while,” he added about the shutdown.

A spokesman for Mr Schumer said the White House has been told that there are three existing federal funding proposals containing funds for border security that could pass both the House and the Senate – and that Mr Trump should accept one of those.

One of Mr Trump’s closest allies in Congress, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, tweeted on Friday that more confrontation lies ahead. “To Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats: No Wall Money, No Deal,” Mr Graham wrote.

“I think it’s obvious that until the president decides he can sign something – or something is presented to him – that we are where we are,” said Republican senator Pat Roberts on Thursday in session that only lasted minutes. “Call it anything; barrier, fence – I won’t say the ‘w’ word.”

Mr Trump long promised that Mexico would pay for the wall to stop illegal immigration, but the government of the US’s southern neighbour baulked at the suggestion.

As the partial shutdown stretches towards a second week, federal government workers and contractors have been growing increasingly concerned.

Roughly federal 420,000 workers were deemed essential and are working unpaid, unable to take any sick days or vacation. An additional 380,000 are staying home without pay.

For those without a financial cushion, even a few days of lost wages during the shutdown could have dire consequences. Contractors, unlike most federal employees, may not be reimbursed for lost work.

Ethan James, 21, a minimum-wage contractor sidelined from his job as an office worker at the Interior Department, said he may not be able to afford his rent. He added: “I’m getting nervous. I live cheque to cheque right now.”