Shutdown Countdown: House GOP Approves Border Wall Funds After Trump Holds Firm

The House approved the  $5.7 billion needed for Trump's border wall Thursday night, sending the bill back to the Senate and raising the risk of partial shutdown.

A partial government shutdown will commence at midnight on Friday unless the border issue is resolved.
 
"We want to keep the government open but we have legitimate concerns about the border," Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said Thursday.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy remains hopeful that Congress will be able to avoid a shutdown, saying, "I think you'll find that we'll be able to move forward."

As the battle over the border wall is at the center of debate, a new agreement was made over migrants trying to come to America. 

Migrants seeking asylum in the US will have to wait in Mexico until their claims are processed, according to a new agreement between the two countries.

While making the announcement on the agreement Thursday, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirsten Nielsen used the opportunity to call on Congress to act on immigration. 
 
"We need Congress to act or America's borders will never be fully secure. In fact, until we deal with the poorly written and outdated laws that contribute to this problem, the situation will only get worse," Nielson said. "Despite congressional inaction, we will not wait. We will not simply stand by as the crisis worsens."

Only about nine percent of people seeking asylum in the US are actually granted it.