Record-Breaking Partial U.S. Government Shut Down Continues

 

JULIET ALEMAN Staff Writer

The United States government has been on a partial shutdown since Dec. 22, due to a dispute over the amount of funding for border security. This is the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. Over 800,000 people who work in government funded facilities are not getting paid since many government funded facilities are closed down.

As many as 54,000 employees from Customs and Border Protection, for example, are currently working to secure the southern U.S. border; however, they are working without paychecks.

“The government shutdown is a selfish act as 800,000 federal employees are bearing the consequence and their livelihoods have been disrupted,” Junior Amber Giang said.

The shutdown has surpassed the  previous record of 21 days. Until Republicans and Democrats can negotiate an agreement, it will continue and there has not been much progress made.

“The government shutdown is unjust because the people who decide whether to end it aren’t the ones who are not getting paid,” Senior Diego Kielty said.

Democrat Nancy Pelosi has responded by calling this project expensive and ineffective as there are better ways to secure the border. The New York Times reports that Trump recently proposed that if Democrats agree to fund the wall, he will allow all the children in detention centers to live freely in the United States for three years. Nevertheless, Democrats still will not budge because three years does not provide permanent security.