For all the talk of avoiding a second government shutdown within a month, it now appears likely it could happen again. Negotiations over border security have “stalled” according to one key Republican. Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama was on Fox News this morning:
Meanwhile, the White House chief of staff appeared on NBC’s Meet The Press, and he too sounded pessimistic.
The issue again appears to be funding for a border wall plus now Republicans are insisting on an increase in the number of detention beds for detained migrants. From Politico:
“BEDS WILL BE ANOTHER STICKING POINT. Before the wall was a Republican priority, Democrats always focused on beds. Democrats have for years been vocal about their skepticism of the need for massive amounts of additional detention beds for undocumented migrants. Republicans are pushing for more, saying that there is an operational need for them.”
Democratic negotiators are meeting this morning.