President Donald Trump is holding his first campaign rally of the year next week in El Paso, Texas, a city he’s cited numerous times — including in his State of the Union address — in arguing for the wall he wants built along the U. S.-Mexico border.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is holding his first campaign rally of the year next week in El Paso, Texas, a city he’s cited numerous times — including in his State of the Union address — in arguing for the wall he wants built along the U. S.-Mexico border.
The rally on Monday will be four days before a Feb. 15 deadline for congressional bargainers to come up with a compromise to fund large portions of the federal government to avoid another partial government shutdown.
Trump insists that money designated for wall construction be part of any deal. Democrats oppose a wall but have offered to fund technology and other border security measures. A stalemate over the issue led to a record 35-day shutdown that ended Jan. 25.
After negotiators on Wednesday left a private briefing from federal border patrol and customs officials, No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Richard Durbin said lawmakers were told the top priority was technology.
« They don’t rule out barriers, they don’t rule out fencing, but that isn’t the first priority, » Durbin told reporters.
But Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said the officials suggested a three-pronged approach using barriers, technology and personnel and said the closed-door session was constructive.
