Crisis on southern border worse than expected, US faces ‘invasion’ – Trump

WASHINGTON (Sputnik): US President Donald Trump offered his assessment of what he calls a crisis after visiting the US-Mexican border, saying he found the situation worse than ordinary people can understand, according to a presidential Twitter post on Friday.

“I just got back and it is a far worse situation than almost anyone would understand, an invasion!” Trump tweeted. “The Democrats, Cryin’ Chuck [Schumer] and Nancy [Pelosi] don’t know how bad and dangerous it is for our ENTIRE COUNTRY.”

The dig against House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer came on day 21 of a partial shutdown of the US federal government in a dispute over whether to build a wall on the US border with Mexico.

Trump is demanding at least $5 billion to construct the wall, while Schumer and Pelosi have refused to provide any funds, resulting in a breakdown of negotiations to reopen the government.

Trump suggested strongly on Thursday that he might declare an emergency so that he can bypass Congress to get funding for his wall, which was a central promise of his 2016 election campaign.

A close Trump confidant judged the time for such a step had come. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement:

“It is time for President Trump to use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier. I hope it works.”

The partial federal government shutdown entered its 21st day on Friday. It will become the longest shutdown ever on Saturday.

Earlier on Friday, President Trump said he is planning changes to H1-B visas, which are issued temporarily to highly educated immigrants so they can work in specialty occupations, that would create simplicity, certainty and a possibility that the workers could become U.S. citizens.

“H1-B holders in the United States can rest assured that changes are soon coming which will bring both simplicity and certainty to your stay, including a potential path to citizenship.”

“We want to encourage talented and highly skilled people to pursue career options in the U.S.,” Trump said in an early morning tweet.