US President Donald Trump has threatened to shut down the border with Mexico if Congress fails to fund his proposed wall. In a tweet, he said: 'Either we build (finish) the Wall or we close the Border.' The White House confirmed the threat was real, stating that negotiations with Congress had stalled.
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are either on unpaid leave or working without knowing when they will be paid. Both chambers of Congress met briefly on Thursday but took no steps to end the closure, and will reconvene on Monday. A new House, dominated by opposition Democrats, will be sworn in later in the week, but Mr Trump's Republicans will retain the Senate with a slightly larger majority.
Mr Trump is seeking $5bn (£4bn) for the wall, but Democrats and some within his own party oppose it. He also threatened to cut off aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said the administration was willing to shut the border, blaming Democrats for prioritising Nancy Pelosi's election as House speaker.
Thousands of migrants from Central America have arrived at the Mexican border seeking asylum. Two child migrants from Guatemala died in US custody this month, sparking criticism of detention conditions. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is to visit the border on Friday.
The shutdown is likely to continue into the new year as Mr Trump refuses to sign the wider spending package. Opponents accuse him of exaggerating immigration for political gain and argue for alternative border security measures. The situation has added to concerns over the US economy, leading to stock market volatility.
