WASHINGTON (AP) – Making his case on prime-time TV, President Donald Trump is stressing humanitarian concerns at the U.S.-Mexico border as he tries to convince the American people he must get funding for his long-promised border wall before ending a partial government shutdown that has hundreds of thousands of federal workers facing missed paychecks.
Trump is delivering his first Oval Office address Tuesday night, and then visiting the southern border on Thursday, as he tries to put pressure on resistant Democrats. His administration is also discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without Congress approving the more than $5 billion he wants.
Trump’s evening remarks will be followed by a rebuttal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who have strongly opposed the wall and have repeatedly called on Trump to reopen the rest of government while border negotiations continue. Television networks airing Trump’s remarks have committed to sharing the response.
Trump and other administration officials have said the situation at the border has reached a crisis point, both on security and humanitarian grounds. But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation. While the number of illegal border crossings is down from 1.6 million in 2000 to less than 400,000 last year, the number of families coming over the border has risen sharply. Many are seeking asylum, which is greatly straining the system.
The partial government closure, now in its 18th day, is the second-longest in history. With no end in sight, Trump’s self-proclaimed deal-making skills are coming under scrutiny. Trying to increase the heat on opponents, the administration has emphasized the humanitarian issues in recent days, with Vice President Mike Pence and top aides making the case on television.