Trump Exits 'Waste of Time' Talk With Democrats: Shutdown Update

He said a deal could include money for a border wall, protection against deportation for thousands of young undocumented immigrants, and Temporary Protected Status for people from countries like El Salvador and Haiti who are in the U.S. legally because of civil turmoil or natural disasters at home.

"Here's what the Democrats are going to ask, and this is a good question: 'Will the president sign it?'" Graham said. "I believe and hope he's open-minded to a deal."

Such a deal cannot include new limits on legal immigration previously demanded by the White House, said Graham of South Carolina.

"That ain't going to happen as part of this deal," he said, adding that the White House will need to drop that earlier demand. "They lose me if they don't."

Graham said he sees a proposal he wrote with second-ranking Senate Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois as "what the market will bear." That would extend protections for the young immigrants but wouldn't provide a pathway to citizenship.

Democrats Fault Trump Over Idled Federal Workers (11:18 a.m.)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer held a news conference with representatives of federal workers whose agencies have been shut down.

"The people behind me represent the real human collateral damage of President Trump's temper tantrum," said Schumer of New York. Referring to the Transportation Security Administration, he said, "Why should we ask TSA officers to go without their hard-earned pay while they protect our airports?"

"He has chosen a wall over workers," said Pelosi of California.

Jeffery David Cox, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said, "we oppose being held hostage."

Republicans, Democrats Stick to Demands (11:15 a.m.)

House Democrats emerged from a morning meeting saying they remain united behind their demand that the government reopen before discussing border funding.

"The government needs to reopen before any discussions on border security begin," said California Democrat Pete Aguilar, who has attempted immigration compromises with Republicans in the past.

House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey of New York said Democrats are willing to talk about more border security funds once government agencies reopen.

On the other side of the aisle, House Republicans emerged from their meeting saying they remained strong behind Trump — and that Trump is not budging.

"He's standing firm," said Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina.

"He believes very firmly that we've got to address this. It's eluded every other president, both Democrats and Republicans, to secure our borders," said Meadows.

Democrats Willing to Add Border Security Funds (10:46 a.m.)

Hakeem Jeffries of New York, a member of the House Democratic leadership, told reporters that his party is willing to "substantially increase" funds for border security using drones, technology and existing fencing. But, he said, Democrats aren't willing to "waste taxpayer money" on a wall at the border with Mexico.

"We're certainly not willing to reward a presidential temper tantrum," Jeffries said.

Hoyer Says Closure Erodes Government 'Credibility' (10:25 a.m.)

Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 House Democrat, questioned Wednesday who would want to work for the federal government as a result of the shutdown.

He praised proposed legislation that would guarantee back pay for government employees whose agencies are closed.

"We are eroding the credibility of the federal government," Hoyer told reporters.

McConnell Says Wall Should Be Part of Solution (10:15 a.m.)

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said on the Senate floor that barriers should be part of the border security solution "and the facts back them up."

He criticized Democrats' vote Tuesday to block legislation regarding the Middle East because the GOP majority won't consider bills to reopen government agencies. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has added to government shutdown with a Senate shutdown, McConnell said.

"They want to shut down the Senate as well," the majority leader said. "No progress, no bipartisan work. Not even on urgent and pressing matters."

What Happened on Tuesday

Trump offered no new proposals to end the shutdown during an Oval Office speech Tuesday night, instead spelling out familiar statistics, renewing complaints about Democratic criticism of his proposed border wall, and describing crimes committed by people he said were in the country illegally.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, in a response to the president, reiterated their position: pass legislation to end the shutdown, then negotiate over border security.

Fifty-one percent of adults surveyed Jan. 1-7 said Trump "deserves most of the blame" for the shutdown, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday. That's up four points from a similar poll conducted Dec. 21-25.

Unless the impasse is resolved quickly, 800,000 federal workers will miss their paychecks due at the end of the week.