US wall diverts focus from domestic issues

The government shutdown in the United States, which began on Dec 22, 2018, has affected the functioning of nine agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Agriculture, and disrupted the normal life of more than 800,000 federal employees. The current shutdown is the longest in US history, surpassing the one during the Bill Clinton administration which lasted 21 days because of the disagreement on whether to cut government services. And there is no sign it would end soon.

US President Donald Trump's proposal that the US Congress fund the $5.7 billion wall on the US-Mexico border is at the crux of this shutdown. Trump is adamant on building the wall, because he believes it would prevent illegal immigrants from entering the US. It is also one of his campaign promises. But the Democratic Party-controlled House of Representatives is opposed to the plan.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called off the negotiations with Trump on the issue, with the House agreeing to allocate less than $1.3 billion to resolve the border security issue.