“The use of a federal shutdown to achieve any policy goal is extortion, spreading hardship and denying public services across the country. It disregards the right of the federal workforce to be paid for its labor. All this to fulfill the xenophobic campaign pledge of a border wall that President Trump cannot otherwise accomplish.

“The terms the President now offers to get his wall are particularly pernicious. He asked Congress to fund a border wall with American taxpayer dollars. In return, he offers only a temporary reprieve for some DACA (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program) and TPS (temporary protected status) recipients and further border militarization. His proposal includes a permanent drastic reduction in grants of asylum to those seeking refuge in the US.

“The American public understands this situation for what it is – holding federal workers hostage. We urge Congress to vote to end the shutdown and resume the normal course of making laws.”