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-We like how the link is in the box, and is easily accessible.
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-not sure how this answers at least 4 of the points for the homework assignment

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Let's take a look at the Wall.

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The southern border of the United States shared with Mexico spans almost 2,000 miles.﻿ Walls, fences, and virtual walls of sensors and cameras monitored by the U.S. Border Patrol are already built along one-third of the border (approximately 650 miles) to secure the border and cut down on illegal immigration.﻿﻿

Americans are split on the border barrier issue. While most people are in favor of increasing the security of the borders, others are concerned that the negative impacts do not outweigh the benefits. The U.S. government views the Mexican border as an important part of its overall homeland security initiative. Despite the criticism, the U.S. government views the Mexican border as an important part of its overall homeland security initiative. However, as one of his first official acts, President Joe Biden, ordered a "pause" in further construction of border wall.

Cost of the Border Barrier

The price tag currently sits at $7 billion﻿﻿ for border fencing and related infrastructure like pedestrian and vehicle fencing with lifetime maintenance is expected to cost roughly $50 billion.﻿﻿

The Trump Administration and Mexican Border Enhancement

As a major part of his platform during the 2016 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump called for the construction of a much larger, fortified wall along the entire 2,000-mile-long Mexico-United States border, claiming Mexico would pay for its construction, which he estimated at $8 to $12 billion.﻿﻿ Other estimates brought the cost of the wall closer to $15 to $25 billion.﻿﻿ On January 25, 2017, the Trump administration signed a Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements Executive Order to commence the building of the border wall.

In response, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said his country would not pay for the wall under any circumstances and canceled a scheduled meeting with Trump at the White House, seemingly straining relations between the two presidents.

With the possibility of Mexico paying for any part of the wall apparently off the table, the Trump administration used existing funds to begin construction of a small section of the new wall, along with improvements to existing sections of the wall in early March 2018.

On March 23, 2018, President Trump signed an omnibus government spending bill dedicating $1.6 billion to the construction of the remainder of the wall.﻿﻿ As he signed the bill, Trump referred to the $1.6 billion as "an initial down payment" on the estimated nearly $10 billion needed to fence the entire border. The funds will pay for construction of about 25 miles (40 kilometers) of a new wall along levees in the Texas Rio Grande Valley, as well as repair and upgrades to existing walls and anti-vehicle devices.

The Great 2019 Border Wall Government Shutdown

The issue of the border barrier, and especially the politics behind it, escalated dramatically in January 2019, when Congress refused to include $5.7 billion requested by President Trump for the construction of steel border fencing in a bill funding the operations of nine of the 15 federal executive branch agencies.

On December 22, 2019, the resulting stalemate between the White House and the now Democrat-controlled House resulted in what, by January 12, had become the longest lasting government shutdown in U.S. history. On January 8, President Trump, calling the situation on the Mexican border a "humanitarian crisis," threatened to declare a national emergency, allowing him to go around Congress by ordering the use of already allocated funds for construction of the border barrier.

In a letter to Congress, the White House Office of Management and Budget estimate that the funds requested by President Trump would allow for the construction of about 234 miles of steel fencing to be added to what was by then the 580 miles of barrier already in place at a cost of around $24.4 million per mile, exclusive of ongoing maintenance.﻿﻿

While the resulting 814 miles of barrier fencing would leave approximately 1,140 miles of the 1,954-mile long border still free of barriers, the Department of Homeland Security had earlier stated that not all of the remaining border needed to be fenced. Border Patrol officials suggested that the inherent dangers of trying to cross rugged, desolate desert areas on foot made fencing unnecessary.

On January 19, Democrats rejected another immigration reform and border security package offered by President Trump, refusing to negotiate until and unless he ended the government shutdown.

On February 15, 2019, President Trump signed a compromise Homeland Security spending bill providing $1.375 billion for 55 miles of new border fencing. The same day, he made good on his threat to declare a national emergency to build the wall.﻿﻿ Under the terms of the emergency proclamation, $3.6 billion was redirected from the Defense Department's military construction budget to the construction of new border wall.﻿﻿ In addition, he used executive orders to redirect another $3.1 billion from the Departments of Defense and Treasury's drug interdiction programs to wall building.﻿﻿ White House officials said the combined money would pay for at least 234 miles "of new physical barrier" along the border.

While no further details were provided, President Trump stated in a Twitter post on March 8, 2019, that, "The Wall is being built and is well under construction."

History of the Border Barrier

In 1924, Congress created the U.S. Border Patrol. Illegal immigration increased in the late 1970s, but it was in the 1990s when drug trafficking and illegal immigration had a major uptick and concerns about the nation's security became an important issue. Border Control agents and the military succeeded in reducing the number of smugglers and illegal crossings for a period of time, but once the military left, activity again increased.

After the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., homeland security was again a priority. Many ideas were tossed around during the next few years on what could be done to permanently secure the border. And, in 2006, the Secure Fence Act was passed to build 700 miles of double-reinforced security fencing in areas along the border prone to drug trafficking and illegal immigration. President Bush also deployed 6,000 National Guardsmen to the Mexico border to assist with border control.

Reasons for the Border Barrier

Historically, policing borders has been integral to the preservation of nations around the globe for centuries. The construction of a barrier to safeguard American citizens from illegal activities is considered by some to be in the best interest of the nation. The pros of a border barrier include overall homeland security, the cost of lost tax revenue and strain on government resources and the past successes of border enforcement.

Rising Cost of Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigration is estimated to cost the United States millions of dollars, and according to Trump, $113 billion a year in lost income tax revenue. Illegal immigration is considered a strain on government spending by overburdening social welfare, health, and education programs.

Border Enforcement Past Success

The use of physical barriers and high-tech surveillance equipment increases the probability of apprehension and have shown some success. Arizona has been the epicenter of crossings by illegal immigrants for several years. In one year, authorities apprehended 8,600 people trying to enter the U.S. illegally in the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range used for air-to-ground bombing practice by Air Force pilots.

The number of people caught crossing San Diego's border illegally has also dropped dramatically. In the early 1990s, about 600,000 people attempted to cross the border illegally. After the construction of a fence and increased border patrols, that number dropped to 39,000 in 2015.

Reasons Against the Border Barrier

The question of the effectiveness of a physical barrier that has workarounds is a significant concern to those opposed to a border barrier. The barrier has been criticized for being easy to get around. Some methods include digging under it, sometimes using complex tunnel systems, climbing the fence and using wire cutters to remove barbed-wire or locating and digging holes in vulnerable sections of the border. Many people have also traveled by boat through the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Coast or fly in and overstay their visas.

There are other concerns such as the message it sends to our neighbors and the rest of the world and the human toll of crossing the border. In addition, a border wall affects wildlife on both sides, fragmenting the habitat and disrupting essential animal migration patterns.

Message to the World

A segment of the American population feels that the United States should send a message of freedom and hope to those seeking a better way of life instead of sending a "keep out" message at our border. It is suggested that the answer does not lie in barriers; it entails comprehensive immigration reform, which means these immigration issues need fixing, instead of building fences, which are as effective as putting a bandage on a gaping wound.

In addition, a border barrier divides the land of three indigenous nations.

Human Toll on Crossing the Border

Barriers won't stop people from wanting a better life. And in some cases, they're willing to pay the highest price for the opportunity. People smugglers, called "coyotes," charge astronomical fees for passage. When smuggling costs rise, it becomes less cost-effective for individuals to travel back and forth for seasonal work, so they remain in the U.S. Now the whole family must make the trip to keep everyone together. Children, infants and the elderly attempt to cross. The conditions are extreme and some people will go for days without food or water. According to the Human Rights National Commission of Mexico and the American Civil Liberties Union, almost 5,000 people have died attempting to crossing the border between 1994 and 2007.

Environmental Impact

Most environmentalists oppose the border barrier. Physical barriers hinder migrating wildlife, and plans show the fence will fragment wildlife refuges and private sanctuaries. Conservation groups are appalled that the Department of Homeland Security is bypassing dozens of environmental and land-management laws in order to build the border fence. More than 30 laws are being waived, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Biden Order Paused Wall Construction, Funding

On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden made good on one of his campaign promises issuing an executive order pausing further work on all construction on the southern border wall and cutting off further funding for the construction of the wall.

"Like every nation, the United States has a right and a duty to secure its borders and protect its people against threats," he wrote. "But building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious policy solution. It is a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security."

Biden's order also rescinded former President Donald Trump's February 2019 national declaration of a national emergency at the southern border.

A cornerstone of his 2016 election campaign, President Trump accomplished construction of about 450 miles of new wall. Today, over 700 miles of both old and new wall line the nearly 2,000-mile-long border. As he has done in the past, President Biden made it clear he had intention of removing any of the existing border walls.

Updated by Robert Longley

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Weighing the Pros and Cons of U.S.-Mexico Border Barrier

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The southern border of the United States shared with Mexico spans almost 2,000 miles.﻿ Walls, fences, and virtual walls of sensors and cameras monitored by the U.S. Border Patrol are already built along one-third of the border (approximately 650 miles) to secure the border and cut down on illegal immigration.﻿﻿ Americans are split on the border barrier issue.

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Cost, time to build, and cost to maintain

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Trump’s border wall -- how much it will actually cost according to a statistician

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As a statistician, I want to take a look at how much the wall is actually going to cost. But we must also ask about the wall’s validity.

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Refer to the "in the Lunchroom subtitle"

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You and your loved ones aren't federal employees or contractors, and you don't live in a setting or have a job closely tied to government programs. So what does the partial government shutdown have to do with you?

More than you might think. Washington's doings, or not-doings, can be woven into everyday American life from a bowl of breakfast cereal to a bottle of beer after work.

The budget standoff between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats is rippling into some unexpected places.

Like Carmen Bush's cellphone.

It's being deluged with telemarketing calls, but she can't get added to the National Do Not Call Registry. It is unavailable during the stalemate.

"It's turning into an every-15-minute reminder that the government is shut down," the Oakland, California, high school English teacher says.

"I feel bad because I know so many other people are being affected by the shutdown in so many more devastating ways, but this is just one way that didn't even cross my mind."

Here's a look at some more ways:

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ON YOUR PLATE

Caitlin Hilbert was enjoying some poke, the Hawaiian marinated raw fish dish, last week when the shutdown made her stop chewing.

It occurred to her that the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees seafood safety, had suspended routine inspections.

The agency said last Monday it was bringing workers back to resume checks of seafood and other "high-risk" items. Still, the moment made Hilbert reflect on the links between Washington and her life in San Mateo, California.

"I want to be able to consume food without worry," the college student and illustrator says.

The FDA oversees about three-quarters of the food supply, from fresh vegetables to dry cereal. The agency conducts about 8,400 domestic-food inspections a year, about a third involving "high-risk" food.

The agency said some checks - on imported food, for instance - have continued through the shutdown; so have U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections of meat and poultry.

To be sure, inspectors don't normally examine every morsel Americans eat, and plenty of food is safe.

"The odds that you, as a consumer, will go in and pick up a box of food that was affected by the shutdown are low," says Sarah Sorscher, deputy director of regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food safety advocacy group. "But particularly as the shutdown goes on, the chances increase that someone in America is going to get sick who wouldn't have gotten sick, because of the shutdown."

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THE COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT

After enduring past shutdowns as a federal worker, Atlanta retiree David Swan hoped he wouldn't feel the effects of this one.

Then he tried to look at an identity theft complaint he filed with the Federal Trade Commission in 2017, after his personal information was compromised in a data breach and he learned that someone checked into a hotel under his name.

Swan recently got an email saying his FTC account would be deactivated if he didn't log in, but the system is offline because of the shutdown. (The commission does say accounts aren't being deactivated in the meantime.)

"The process of keeping the government open and keeping the government running should not be compromised for partisan politics," he says.

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IN THE LUNCHROOM

The shutdown is showing up in school cafeterias in North Carolina's rural Vance County, which plans to start paring student lunches this week.

Fresh produce will be nixed in middle and high schools and reduced in elementary schools, and lunchrooms will stop offering bottled water and juice, among other changes announced in a Facebook post this week. Ice cream will be gone, too.

The USDA assures that school lunch programs have funding through the end of March. But the Vance County school system said it's trying "to conserve food and funding" in a district where most students come from families with incomes low enough to qualify them for free or reduced-price lunch. Federal money pays for 95 percent of its school nutrition program.

"All indications are that as far as food supply and funding, we are OK through March. But beyond that, we really don't know," so administrators want to stretch what they have, spokeswoman Terri Hedrick said.

The USDA said in a statement Thursday that officials "understand that the current lapse in appropriations creates uncertainty for the future," but they're hopeful the budget stalemate will end soon.

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IN TAX TANGLES

Tax Day isn't until April, but some of Mindy Schwartz' accounting clients are anxious to contact the IRS now. They've gotten notices citing issues with past returns and saying the clients owe money.

Normally, Schwartz calls up a special Internal Revenue Service number for tax professionals to get to the bottom of notices like this. But the line is now answered only by a message saying help "is not available at this time."

Help may be on the way: The IRS said was recalling about 46,000 of its employees, over half its workforce, as the official start of tax season approaches Jan. 28. The agency said workers would start staffing some phone lines "in the coming days."

For the moment, Schwartz's concerned clients can only ponder whether to wait to get through, and perhaps risk penalties and interest, or pay what the IRS says they owe, even if they believe there's an error.

"Getting communications from the IRS tends to freak people out, so when you can't get them an answer, it gets a little scary," says Schwartz, of Carlsbad, California.

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AT THE AIRPORT

Jennifer Lyon-Weisman isn't a worrier by nature. But she headed for the airport in Columbus, Ohio, over three hours before her Friday afternoon flight.

She lives only 15 minutes away, but she didn't want to take chances on her annual trip to a fundraising music festival in New Jersey. She'd heard reports of long lines and closed checkpoints at some airports, starting last weekend, after absenteeism spiked among now-unpaid federal security screeners.

The sick-out rate has eased a bit, and the Transportation Security Agency said less than 6 percent of flyers nationwide waited more than 14 minutes in checkpoint lines as of Thursday.

But with a holiday weekend likely to boost crowds, Lyon-Weisman was concerned.

"And then I feel guilty because people aren't being paid, and it's a really small problem," said Lyon-Weisman, a barber.

In the end, the airport crowds were light and screening went swiftly, she said.

While security screeners and air traffic controllers have been told to keep working, Federal Aviation Administration safety inspectors weren't, until the agency began recalling some Jan. 12.

About 2,200 of the more than 3,000 inspectors are now on the job, overseeing work done by airlines, aircraft manufacturers and repair shops. The government says they're doing critical work but forgoing such tasks as issuing new pilot certificates.

Meanwhile, passengers will probably have to wait a bit longer to check out Delta's newest jet model, a 109-seater the airline says has "among the widest seats" among single-aisle planes. CEO Ed Bastian said the Jan. 31 launch date will likely be pushed back because of certification delays amid the shutdown.

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ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Some college students and their families are also contending with shutdown woes as they try to get tax information for financial aid applications.

With IRS phone lines and offices closed, some have struggled to get verification and documents they need to apply. The shutdown doesn't affect the aid itself, but the Department of Education acknowledges that some "systems and processes depend on information from-and actions taken by-other federal agencies, several of which are currently closed."

Reynold Verret, the president of Xavier University of Louisiana, says some students at his Catholic, historically black New Orleans school have been caught up in the quandary.

"We're not exceptional. Every university in the United States right now is probably facing that, as well," he said.

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FROM THE TAP

Money isn't the only thing that's not flowing during the shutdown. Some craft breweries are postponing new beer releases or expansions because they need permission from a federal agency that isn't open.

Such breweries tend to offer new seasonal and special brews frequently, and new beer labels need the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's approval to be sold across state lines.

Milwaukee-based Lakefront Brewery, for one, has upcoming cherry lager and apple ale releases that could be delayed while it waits for the label-approval process to resume. Some other breweries have new locations idling while waiting for permits from the bureau.

"To me, it kind of drives home to everybody what's all happening and how many people are affected," says Russ Klisch, Lakefront's founder and president. "The government does touch everyone's life, one way or another."

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how the partial government shutdown might impact you

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How the partial government shutdown might impact you

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You and your loved ones aren't federal employees or contractors, and you don't live in a setting or have a job closely tied to government programs. So what does the partial government shutdown have to do with you? More than you might think.

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Government Shutdown 2019, 2018, and 2013 Explained

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Government Shutdown 2019, 2018, and 2013 Explained

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In-depth explanation of the causes and effects of this shut down.

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1. Agriculture - 40 percent of 95,383 workers. Farmers can't get loans processed. March food stamps could be cut.

2. Commerce - 87 percent of 47,896 workers. Reports from the Bureau of Economic Analysis are delayed.

3. Homeland Security - 13 percent of 232,860 workers. Companies can't verify a worker's immigration status.

4. Housing and Urban Development - 95 percent of 7,497 workers. Rental assistance for the elderly and disabled is delayed.

5. Interior - 78 percent of 68,469 workers. National Park maintenance has decreased. The Environmental Protection Agency would furlough 95 percent of 13,872 workers. It used reserve funds through December 28.

Democrats rejected the deal for three reasons. First, the courts already upheld DACA. Second, Trump is offering temporary protection in return for a permanent wall. Third, Democrats want the government reopened before negotiations begin.

The Democrat-controlled House will vote by January 25, 2019 to add $1 billion in additional border security funding. It targets ports of entry, advanced technology for scanning vehicles for drugs, and more immigration judges.

The Republican-controlled Senate is submitting a budget that contains wall funding. It adds $7.3 billion for additional border patrol and increased detention facilities. It adds $12.7 billion in disaster aid.

Erecting a wall on the rest of the border would stop 144,000 immigrants. It would raise incomes of low-skilled workers by 58 cents a year. It would cost $15 per American to build the wall.

But the wall would hurt the economy overall. Incomes of higher-skilled workers would fall by $7.60 a year. The U.S. economy would lose more than $4 billion a year. The same thing happened with the existing wall. Workers with college degrees lost $4.35 annually. As a result, the economy declined by $2.5 billion.

The conservative Heritage Foundation says the money would be better spent on technology and agents to prevent illegal crossings. It advocates more enforcement to apprehend immigrants who overstay their visas.

On January 22, Congress ended the shutdown. It passed a continuing resolution that expired at midnight on February 8, 2018. Republicans promised to work with Democrats on DACA legislation.

On February 9, the government shut down again, this time for five and a half hours. Senator Rand Paul objected to the bipartisan two-year spending bill. It added more than $300 billion to the debt.

Border Protection and Immigration, air traffic controls, and the Transportation Security Administration remain open. The Justice Department remains open, but gun permits are not be issued during a shutdown. The Postal Service has a separate source of funds, so mail continues to be delivered.

Here are the major departments that shut down:

Commerce, except National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Education.

Energy. Functions that oversee the safety of the nation's nuclear arsenal, dams, and transmission lines remain open.

Environmental Protection Agency.

Food and Drug Administration.

Health and Human Services.

Housing and Urban Development.

Interior, including National Parks.

Internal Revenue Service, except those processing tax returns.

Labor, including Bureau of Labor Statistics.

National Institute of Health.

Smithsonian.

Here are examples of when the federal government either shut down or narrowly avoided one.

2017. The government avoided a shutdown on April 28, 2017. That's when the continuing resolution, passed on September 30, 2016, expired. Congress hadn't allocated funds for the FY 2017 budget, which covered October 1, 2016, to September 30, 2017. The continuing resolution funded the government during the 2016 presidential election and transition. The Senate and House approved the spending bill on May 1, 2017. It appropriated $1.1 trillion in spending.

Many Republicans oppose the border wall. Those from California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas face the most consequences. They say the wall won't work, especially without added security forces. Others worry about the impact on the environment in their states.

Democrats also oppose the wall. They would prefer to use the funds to keep Obamacare subsidies and the other domestic spending programs. They want to increase programs for opioid addiction and health care for coal miners.

For the continuing resolution to pass, the Trump administration withdrew its request for border wall funding. It also agreed to continue providing Obamacare subsidies.

2013. The government shutdown began on October 1, 2013. The Republican-controlled House submitted a continuing resolution without administrative funds for Obamacare. The Senate rejected the bill and sent one back that included Obamacare. The House ignored that bill. It sent one back that delayed the mandate that everyone should buy health insurance. It also deleted the subsidies for Congress and their staffers. The Senate ignored that bill and the government shut down.

Here's what happened each day of the shutdown:

October 1. TV news highlight how veterans can't visit the WWII Memorial and cancer patients can't take advantage of treatment trials at the National Institute of Health.

October 2. Republicans submit a funding bill that delays Obamacare for a year.

October 3. Obama calls on the House to vote on the Senate's continuing resolution.

October 4. Boehner considers negotiating a budget proposal that will fund the government and raise the debt ceiling. At the same time, he calls on the Senate to negotiate on Obamacare.

October 5. The secretary of Defense calls back furloughed civilian workers.

October 6. The House passes a bill to reimburse furloughed federal employees, even though they aren't working. But no one gets paid until a funding resolution is passed.

October 7. Boehner won't fund the government or raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats agree to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare. These mandatory programs aren't even part of the discretionary budget that is shut down.

October 8. House Republicans propose a "Supercommittee" to negotiate a budget acceptable to both parties. But House Democrats want the shutdown ended and the debt ceiling raised before establishing such a committee. In addition, Senate Democrats might propose a stand-alone bill to raise the debt ceiling.

October 9. House Democrats meet with Boehner before meeting with Obama.

October 10. Boehner and a team of House Republicans meet with Obama. They proposed raising the debt ceiling for six weeks to allow time to negotiate.

October 11. House Republicans put together a budget in exchange for raising the debt ceiling for six weeks and reopening the government.

October 12. Talks between Boehner and Obama break down. The Senate creates a plan to force the House to an agreement, as it did during the 2011 debt ceiling crisis and the fiscal cliff crisis.

October 13. Senate bilateral negotiations continue. Republicans want to extend the debt ceiling for three months, fund the government at current levels for six months, establish a bipartisan Congressional committee to agree on spending cuts to Medicare, delay Obamacare's tax on medical devices for two years, and give agencies more leeway in implementing sequestration.

October 14. Senate Democrats want to increase spending by $70 billion on the sequestration cuts that hit in January. They want the debt ceiling raised for a year. Republicans want cuts in Medicare and Obamacare and a three- to six-month extension of the debt ceiling.

October 15. The House submits its own plan, which has thrown a wrench into the Senate's negotiations. Neither side of Congress will accept the other's proposal.

October 16. The House plan didn't get the support of Tea Party Republicans, so it was dropped. Speaker Boehner put the Senate plan to a vote, where it passed through Democrat and moderate Republican votes. The president signed it Wednesday night.

October 17. The bill raised the debt ceiling until February 7, 2014, and reopened the federal government until January 15, 2014. It set up a budget conference committee, led by Senate Budget Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash, and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisc, to submit a unified budget to the president by December 15, 2013.

The Obama administration reported the shutdown slowed economic growth by 0.2 percent to 0.6 percent. It also cost 120,000 jobs. The government was unable to issue certificates for ships carrying U.S. exports and 200 drilling permits were delayed. Around 850,000 federal employees were furloughed each day.

Republicans gave up an earlier proposal of $61 billion in cuts in non-defense discretionary spending, including cuts to Planned Parenthood. This also allowed Obamacare and the Dodd-Frank Bank Reform Act to remain unscathed. Their cuts would have cost 800,000 jobs. Democrats gave up on $1.7 billion in cuts to defense.

1995. The government shut down twice: November 13 to November 19, 1995, and December 5, 1995, to January 6, 1996. Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich won the Republican Party's 1994 Contract with America. It promised to slash funding and introduce a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

But no such amendment passed, so Gingrich went after Democratic President Bill Clinton's FY 1996 budget. He demanded steep cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, and other non-defense discretionary spending in return for raising the debt ceiling. To keep the United States from defaulting, a continuing resolution bill was passed until November 13. When no budget deal was reached, the government shut down until both sides agreed to balance the budget in seven years.

But they couldn't agree on which budget items would be cut by the time the resolution ended. The government shut down on December 15. By January 1996, both sides negotiated an agreement that cut some spending and raised some taxes, balancing the budget over the next seven years.

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Why the Government Shut Down and What Happens Next

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Agriculture - 40 percent of 95,383 workers. Farmers can't get loans processed. March food stamps could be cut. Commerce - 87 percent of 47,896 workers. Reports from the Bureau of Economic Analysis are delayed. Homeland Security - 13 percent of 232,860 workers. Companies can't verify a worker's immigration status.

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The Government has been shut down for over a Mon

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The Government has been shut down for over a Mon

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Trump has shut the government down until he gets the 5.7 billion dollars approved for the wall.

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The government shutdown is over: Live updates | CNN Politics

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President Trump just signed a measure to reopen the government for three weeks, funding it until Feb. 15. Follow here for the latest.