<p>The US-Mexico border wall was an integral part of Donald Trump&rsquo;s presidential campaign. Trump repeatedly promised that Mexico would foot the bill, although it was never clear how he planned to accomplish this. ;</p>
<p>Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;skinny budget,&rdquo; released on Thursday, asks Congress for a $1.5 billion down payment for the wall. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;This investment would strengthen border security, helping stem the flow of people and drugs illegally crossing the US borders,&rdquo; said Trump. His funding request is part of a larger, $30 billion request aimed to boost defense spending and other border security measures as Trump seeks to speed up the rate of deportations. ;</p>
<p>Officials estimate the wall could cost $20 billion or more, and Mexico continues to refuse Trump&rsquo;s demands to contribute. ;</p>
<p>White House budget director Mick Mulvaney says the initial $1.5 billion will be used to develop technologies and locations for the wall. &ldquo;I think the funding provides for a couple of pilot cases &hellip; different kinds of barriers in different kinds of places. We try and find the most cost-efficient, the safest and also the most effective border protections.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expected to submit proposals for border wall designs soon. CBP initially said it planned to build &ldquo;concrete wall structures, nominally 30 feet tall, that will meet requirements for aesthetics, anti-climbing, and resistance to tampering or damage.&rdquo;  ;</p>
<p>Trump&rsquo;s proposed budget for FY2018 includes an additional $2.6 billion for the wall. The combined $4.1 billion in funding is more than 10x what Obama asked for &ldquo;the acquisition and maintenance of technology and tactical infrastructure along US borders,&rdquo; reports <em>Politico. ;</em></p>
<p>There&rsquo;s also the problem of hiring enough people to secure the border. Far from the 5,000 Border Patrol agents and 10,000 ICE personnel he promised, Trump&rsquo;s budget (through 2018) calls for hiring only 500 of the former and 1,000 of the latter. ;</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Senate Democrats insist they will not move forward with a budget that includes funding for the border wall. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warns that the ensuing fight could cause a government shutdown.  ;</p>
<p>This problem could be avoided if funding for the wall is dealt with as a supplemental bill that is separate from the broader funding bill.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We believe it would be inappropriate to insist on the inclusion of such funding in a must-pass appropriations bill that is needed for the Republican majority in control of the Congress to avert a government shutdown so early in President Trump&rsquo;s administration,&rdquo; wrote Schumer in a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. ;</p>
<p>Trump&rsquo;s spending plans are ;also facing opposition from Republicans. &ldquo;We shouldn&rsquo;t just build a wall and add billions of dollars because that&rsquo;s what somebody said should be done,&rdquo; complains Senator James Lankford (R-OK). ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care at all as long as Mexico&rsquo;s paying for it &ndash; it&rsquo;s neither here nor there for me. But if we&rsquo;re paying for it, it&rsquo;s a significant concern,&rdquo; says Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ). ;</p>
<p>Lawmakers have until April 28th to make up their minds and avoid a government shutdown. ;</p>