Rep. Bennie Thompson Bennie Gordon ThompsonDHS to require pipeline companies to report cyberattacks Is lawmaking today a game of principals? Bipartisanship is dead — Republicans killed it MORE (D-Miss. ), the new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenLeft-leaning group to track which companies hire former top Trump aides Rosenstein: Zero tolerance immigration policy 'never should have been proposed or implemented' House Republican condemns anti-Trump celebrities during impeachment hearing MORE Friday requesting her to testify in front of the committee regarding the Trump administration’s border security agenda. “As chairman, I intend to ensure the Committee on Homeland Security fulfills its constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight of your Department, including its implementation of President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE’s border policy. In your year-long tenure, you have testified before the Committee only once. Another appearance is overdue,” Thompson wrote. ADVERTISEMENT “The Committee’s first hearing will focus on critical border security matters, to include the border wall, metering of individuals seeking asylum at ports of entry, and the treatment of children in U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) custody. As such, I request your participation.” Thompson ripped a presentation Nielsen submitted to Congress Friday defending the Trump administration’s immigration and border policies. “Your border security presentation submitted to Congress today is yet another example of the misinformation and outright lies the Trump Administration has used to make the case for the President’s boondoggle border wall, defend the government shutdown, and distract the American people from a border policy so flawed that children have died in Department of Homeland Security custody,” he wrote. The strongly worded letter suggests Democrats are serious about making good on their vow to provide vigorous oversight of the Trump administration as they take control of the House of Representatives. The Trump administration’s border policies and the Department of Homeland Security have been criticized for months after the White House introduced a series of hard-line stances on immigration. The White House’s “zero-tolerance” policy, which was ultimately repealed, drew widespread condemnation for causing a spike in family separations at the border and sending thousands of children to government-run detention centers. Two migrant children, Jakelin Caal Maquin and Felipe Gómez Alonzo, recently died in government custody. Trump also proposed policies to restrict migrants’ paths to asylum, such as disallowing immigrants in the country illegally from seeking asylum and forcing migrants seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while their requests are processed. Both policies have faced challenges from federal courts. The president has doubled down in recent weeks on his demand for border wall funding, requiring that $5.6 billion be included in any spending legislation to end a partial government shutdown that is entering its third week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiGOP leaders face new calls to boot Greene Biden, Bass press for police reform after meeting Floyd family Kinzinger calls for Greene to be removed from GOP conference after Holocaust remark MORE (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerSchumer says Senate will move on Biden's infrastructure agenda in July Senate confirms Biden pick to lead Medicare, Medicaid office Pelosi presses for Senate action on Jan. 6 commission: 'No time to waste' MORE (D-N.Y.) have both said they would not agree to allocate any additional funds for the wall. However, Trump said Friday he “may” declare a national emergency to employ the military to build the wall. “Squandering American taxpayer money on a wall may satisfy a segment of the President’s political supporters, but it will not solve the real border security challenges facing our Nation,” Thompson wrote of Trump’s signature campaign promise. A spokeswoman for the department said Nielsen has been in contact with House and Senate leadership about the subject. “The Secretary testified before a House Committee two weeks ago on this topic where she answered dozens of questions from members. She has been meeting with House and Senate leadership where she has repeatedly sought to provide them with vital information pertaining to the humanitarian crisis on the border. We look forward to receiving the reported request and will review it,” Katie Waldman said.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — Negotiations formally began Wednesday on a border security funding compromise that would prevent another government shutdown. Opening statements at the brief afternoon meeting of the newly created bipartisan conference committee nodded to possible compromise. House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., suggested that Democrats are willing “to expand on the $1.6 billion in border security programs that House Democrats have already passed.” After the meeting ended, Democrats unveiled an outline for their proposal, which would fund 1,000 new Customs officers, new imaging technology, and repair projects at ports of entry, along with support for "many other important Homeland Security priorities, which we will not have the funding to address if the President insists we set aside $5.7 billion for border barriers." Before President Donald Trump signed onto a short-term funding plan last week to end the 35-day partial shutdown, Democrats were prepared to offer at least $5.7 billion in border security. Democrats support funding, Lowey said Wednesday, for improvements to ports of entry, more immigration judges to reduce a backlog, assistants to Central American countries to alleviate the migrant situation in them, using new technology, aircraft and vessels to help the Department of Homeland Security patrol the borders and resources to address humanitarian needs. At the same time, Lowey said, "Smart border security is not overly reliant on physical barriers, which the Trump administration has failed to demonstrate are cost-effective compared to better technology and more personnel." Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said that a comprehensive approach is necessary to secure the border, involving technology, personnel, infrastructure and physical barriers. “Smart technology alone does not stop anyone from crossing over into the U.S. illegally,” he said. “Border patrol tells us that they physical barriers to help them do their job — not from coast to coast but strategically placed where the traffic is highest,” he said. But he added, “I must stress that as long as we remain polarized we will never resolve this critical issue.” He and Jon Tester, D-Mont., both said most parties involved were likely to be unhappy with some element of the outcome. "The deal we reach probably won't be perfect and it probably isn't going to please everyone," said Tester. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said that the president might be among those disappointed with the final bill — but presidents never get everything they want from Congress, and the committee could potentially use their time negotiating to put a permanent end to shutdowns. "If the choice is between shut-up or shutdown, we've got to do our constitutional responsibility and avoid a shutdown," Durbin said. It is unclear whether the panel's following meetings will take place in open session or behind closed doors. Members and leadership aides largely agree that the committee likely needs to produce a product by next Monday, Feb. 11, to get it passed through both houses and onto the president's desk before the clock runs out on Feb. 15. The session came hours after Trump tweeted that lawmakers on the committee are "wasting their time" if they didn't discuss a wall or barrier along the southern border. If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019 The panel, made up of Democratic and Republican members from the House and Senate, has less than three weeks to reach agreement on the best way to secure the border with Mexico and stave off another government shutdown. Any deal will not only have to pass both chambers but also gain Trump's approval. The president and congressional leaders ended the the longest shutdown in history last week with a stopgap measure to reopen the government through Feb. 15. The partial government shutdown came as a result of a disagreement over funding for security measures, including Trump's proposed border wall. The president had demanded $5.7 billion for a wall, but Democrats declined. In announcing an end to the shutdown, Trump on Friday called the creation of the congressional committee "an opportunity for all parties to work together for the benefit of our whole beautiful, wonderful nation."<doc-sep>President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE early Wednesday warned members of a bipartisan conference committee tasked with negotiating border security policy that they would be “wasting their time” if they did not consider his demand for a wall along the border with Mexico. “If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time!” the president tweeted Wednesday. If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019 The warning raises the stakes for the negotiators, who meet for the first time on Wednesday. They have 16 days to reach an agreement before another partial government shutdown begins or the president decides to take other action to secure the funds for his border wall. ADVERTISEMENT The last shutdown, which reached a record-long 35 days, largely revolved around a debate over the border wall, with Trump demanding $5.7 billion in funding for his key campaign promise. The Democratic majority in the House, however, refused to include the money in a spending bill. The president eventually signed a three-week continuing resolution to reopen the government without any funds for the wall while further negotiations take place. Trump has signaled he is considering declaring a national emergency to allocate the funds from the Department of Defense and enlist the military in building the wall. “We’ll work with the Democrats and negotiate, and if we can’t do that, then we’ll do a — obviously we’ll do the emergency because that’s what it is. It’s a national emergency,” he said after announcing the temporary deal to the shutdown. While Trump faced intense backlash from the far-right flank of his base for signing a bill that did not include border wall funds, the president could be reluctant to oversee another shutdown after polls showed the majority of the public blamed the White House and congressional Republicans for the most recent closure.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — The fate of President Trump’s $5.7 billion demand for a border wall is now in the hands of a 17-member bipartisan panel that includes some of the most senior members of Congress and, perhaps more tellingly, lacks the most vocal immigration hard-liners on Capitol Hill. Under the agreement Mr. Trump reached last week with congressional Democrats, a committee of Republican and Democratic lawmakers from both chambers — known as a conference committee — has until Feb. 15 to come up with a border security package. During the 35-day shutdown, many Americans accused Mr. Trump and Congress of acting like toddlers, with Mr. Trump insisting that he had to have the wall, and Democratic leaders insisting that they would not give him a penny for it. Now, a group less dominated by ideology will be in charge. One conference committee member, Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, departed from Democratic orthodoxy on Monday when he told reporters that he would be in favor of including some money for a wall in the border security package. Late last year, Mr. Tester and other Democrats on the Appropriations Committee voted for a spending bill that included $1.6 billion for 65 miles of fencing along the border.<doc-sep>
A bipartisan committee of House and Senate lawmakers met for the first time on Wednesday afternoon, aiming to work out a deal on border security. But Democrats and Republicans both dug in over whether new physical barriers are a necessary element. Though both sides expressed optimism they could reach a deal that would stop the government from shutting down again, Democrats dismissed president Trump's call for a border wall while Republicans argued that a barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border is needed in some places. TRUMP RENEWS CALL FOR WALL AS CONGRESS HUDDLES ON ELUSIVE BORDER SOLUTION “Smart border security is not overly reliant on physical barriers, which the Trump administration has failed to demonstrate are cost-effective compared to better technology and more personnel,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., who is chairing the conference committee. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., argued that smart technology alone “does not actually stop anyone" from crossing into the U.S. illegally. “Our Border Patrol tells us they need physical barriers to help them do their job,” Shelby said. Others on the committee include Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt; along with chairs and ranking members of both the House and Senate Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittees. After lawmakers delivered opening remarks on Wednesday, the lawmakers adjourned, kicking negotiations behind the scenes. House Democrats on the committee have proposed reducing the number of so-called "detention beds" used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hold suspected criminal aliens. The proposal also calls for the hiring of additional Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents to focus on "high priority law enforcement areas," including drug smuggling and gang crime. The meetings come in the wake of the House and Senate agreeing to “go to conference” on a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, which would oversee construction of a wall and has jurisdiction over border security. SARAH SANDERS: TRUMP OPENED GOVERNMENT BECAUSE DEMS 'SIGNALED' THEY'RE WILLING TO MAKE BORDER DEAL The longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended last Friday when Trump signed a stopgap spending bill. But it only provides funding through Feb. 15 and did not include any funding for a border wall. To avoid another shutdown, lawmakers and the administration will have to reach an agreement in that timeframe. Lawmakers on the committee could potentially come to an agreement on a border security deal as they have done in the past, but whether Trump will support it remains to be seen. Earlier Wednesday, Trump renewed his call for a border wall to be included in a final government spending package, warning congressional negotiators that they are “wasting their time” if they don't factor in that funding. “If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time!” Trump tweeted early Wednesday. The message came as lawmakers from both chambers were preparing to meet Wednesday afternoon as part of what's called a conference committee to hash out an agreement on border security spending -- hoping to avoid another shutdown. Trump took heat from the right for even agreeing to the stopgap bill, but is now reiterating his demand for a border wall or barrier. The original standoff was triggered after he requested $5.7 billion for border security and barrier funding, and Democrats vowed to block any spending package that included money for a wall. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he was “for whatever works that would prevent the level of dysfunction we’ve seen on full display here the last month and also doesn’t bring about a view on the president’s part that he needs to declare a national emergency.” Meanwhile, some Democrats have said they support a plan for border security that includes some sort of fencing or physical structure in some areas where it's deemed necessary. "We've consistently said that we do not support a medieval border wall from sea to shining sea," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. "However, we are able to support fencing where it makes sense, but it should be done in an evidence-based fashion." Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.