Trump seeks $18 billion for Mexican border wall


The Trump administration has given lawmakers "one of its most detailed blueprints" yet of President Trump's proposed Mexican border wall. The plan calls for spending $18 billion over 10 years to extend the existing wall by 316 miles by 2027, The Associated Press reported. If executed, the plan would result in nearly half the 2,000-mile border being fenced off.
Immigration is one of several issues on the table as Congress tries to hammer out a budget to fund the government before Jan. 19, or risk a government shutdown. Trump has said he will not ensure protection for thousands of DREAMers — illegal immigrants brought into the country as children — unless he gets his border wall.
"President Trump has said he may need a good government shutdown to get his wall," Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), told The Washington Post. "With this demand, he seems to be heading in that direction."
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Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.
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