US President Donald Trump offered a compromise to end the partial shutdown of the federal government that has been going on for more than four weeks, but the Democrats immediately rejected it, judging that there was nothing new in the proposal.
Trump has offered to extend protections for young people brought to the country illegally as children, so-called. Dreamers, if the Democrats give him the $5,7 billion he's asking for to build a wall on the border with Mexico.
The second proposal refers to persons who have temporary protection status (TPS). More than 300.000 people from countries affected by war or disaster are authorized to work in the US under the program, which Trump opposes.
He offered to extend for three years the protection and access to work permits for both Dreamers and people with temporary protection.
He included other proposals, including $800 million in emergency relief, 2.750 more border agents and security officials and 75 new teams of immigration judges, which Democrats also proposed.
In a statement from the White House, Trump said he was offering "a common-sense compromise that both sides should readily accept."
He said he wants to end the deadlock and give Congress a way forward to end it. However, Trump is not giving up on his demand for $5,7 billion to fund the construction of a wall on the Mexican border, which is the reason for the blockade.
Trump reiterated his reasons for building the wall and pointed out that it will not be one continuous structure but a steel barrier placed only in priority areas, but he kept the request for 5,7 billion dollars.
Democrats rejected that idea and asked Trump to first lift the government shutdown that affects 800.000 federal employees and is the longest shutdown in the country's history.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said the president's proposal to end the 29-day partial government shutdown was a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each unacceptable.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump's proposal is simply "more hostage-taking" and that the president is offering one-sided and ineffective remedies.
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