A new McAleese & Associates report says the partial government shutdown has temporarily halted after President Donald Trump signed on Friday a continuing resolution to fund agencies through Feb. 15.
Jim McAleese, founder and principal at McAleese & Associates, wrote in the report that public attention is now focused on the expiration of the three-week stopgap funding measure.
œIf a deal is not reached for some portion of wall or steel barrier, Trump will either allow that 25 percent portion of government to shut down again; or will declare ˜national emergency™ to access wall funding, noted McAleese, a 2019 Wash100 winner.
In addition to the proposed wall or barrier, Trump said in his remarks Friday that his administration intends to increase the number of Immigration Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, install nonintrusive drug-detection technologies at ports of entry and provide humanitarian assistance, among other efforts.
According to the report, the U.S. already has 654 miles of barrier at the southern border and that the president seeks $5.7B in funds to support the construction of 234 additional miles of steel barrier.
