Democrats Should Reject Trump's Request For Border Wall Funds - Advocacy Group

NEW YORK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th December, 2018) Members of the US Congress should refrain from meeting President Donald Trump's request to provide funds for a wall on the border with Mexico, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said.

"Members of Congress should continue to fulfill their obligation to the people they were elected to represent and reject Trump's border wall," the ACLU said in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

The ACLU criticized Trump's promise to shut down the government and prevent Federal workers from being paid if his request is not met. The advocacy group said it would stand with all those who oppose the construction of the wall.

"We will continue to amplify the voices of communities at the border, immigrant families, and all those who refuse to give the president a single taxpayer Dollar to waste on a border wall," the ACLU said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump clashed at the White House with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer over funding for the border wall. Trump announced that he would be proud to shut down the government if he does not get the money to build the wall.

Pelosi and Schumer said that while they favor border security, they do not want to dedicate $5 billion to build the wall, the amount that Trump is requesting.

Both the House and Senate have until December 22 to pass funding bills in order to prevent a partial government shutdown.