Democrats and Republicans have reached an agreement in principle over border security to fund the US government and avert another partial shutdown.
The agreement contains only a fraction of the money President Donald Trump wants for his promised border wall and does not mention a concrete barrier.
The deal still needs to be approved by Congress and signed by the president.
Speaking later, Mr Trump did not say whether he would back it. “We’re building the wall anyway.”
The Democrats – who now control the House of Representatives – have refused to approve the $5.7bn (£4.4bn) for Mr Trump’s wall on the border with Mexico, one of his key campaign pledges.
Lawmakers expressed optimism that a bill would be approved by Friday when funding runs out for some federal agencies.
The previous shutdown – the longest in US history – lasted 35 days and cost the country’s economy an estimated $11bn (£8.5bn).
What is known about the deal?
Details have yet to be released but aides familiar with the negotiations say it includes $1.375bn in funding for 55 miles (88km) of new fencing at the border, a small part of the more than 2,000 miles promised by the president.
The barrier would be built in the Rio Grande Valley, in Texas, using existing designs, such as metal slats, instead of the concrete wall that Mr Trump had demanded.
There was also an agreement to reduce the number of beds in detention centres to 40,250 from the current 49,057, reports say.
The talks had reached an impasse earlier with Republicans strongly rejecting Democrats’ demands for a limit to the number of undocumented migrants already in the US who could be detained by immigration authorities.
The deal was struck in a closed-door meeting in Washington on Monday evening after several hours of talks.
“We got an agreement on all of it,” Republican Senator Richard Shelby said.
“Our staffs are going to be working feverishly to put all the particulars together. We believe that if this becomes law, it’ll keep open the government.”
But, by Monday night, some of the president’s conservative allies had already denounced the deal, with Fox News commentator Sean Hannity calling it a “garbage compromise”.
What did Trump say?
In a crowded stadium with banners saying “Finish the Wall” in El Paso, in Texas, Mr Trump told supporters: “Walls work… Walls save lives.”
He repeated that a border fence in the city, opposite Ciudad Juárez in Mexico, “made a big difference”, even though critics reject his claim as exaggerated and based on misleading data.
“We need the wall, and it has to be built,” said Mr Trump, who has previously threatened to declare a national emergency and fund the wall without Congress.
The idea, however, is disliked even by some fellow Republicans, and Democrats are likely to challenge it in the courts.
The president has backed away from calls to make Mexico pay for a concrete wall, a point he repeatedly made during his presidential campaign, and has already acknowledged that the barrier to be built may not be made of concrete.
As the president spoke, Beto O’Rourke, a former Democratic congressman and potential presidential candidate in 2020, held a counter-rally, accusing Mr Trump of stoking false fear about immigrants with “lies”.
Why is there the risk of another shutdown?
On 25 January, President Trump agreed to a three-week spending deal to end the shutdown and allow Congress to reach an agreement.
The shutdown was triggered by the Democrats’ refusal to approve funds for his promised wall on the border with Mexico.
During the last shutdown, hundreds of thousands of workers were furloughed (put on unpaid leave) in December and January while others in essential services, such as hospital care, air traffic control and law enforcement, worked without pay.
Not enough money for the wall President Donald J Trump will be shutting the government down again Friday
“In principle” is WAY different than an actual deal.
Why can’t we the people contribute to the wall??
Lynn Marie you can there’s a go fund me it would only cost each Trump voter $88 sadly they aren’t even close looks like not many people put their money where their mouth is
Not many??? We raised over 3 mil in 2 weeks ??? and YES they have started the process already
I hope the President veto’s it!
Annette Crawford Hall He will.
To Everyone who is complaining about the wall…..why don’t we move you all to houses on the border??
Maybe your thinking will change….
I grew up in a bordering state and was thinking the same exact thing. Let them see people , gang raped, killed, and kidnapped every day , every single day.
Kellyanne Greene Crandal exactly
A girl I grew up with was murdered 15 years ago and the case is still cold. They know who did it (illegal aliens) but they jumped the border back to Mexico and have been hiding there ever since. All because her car was the only car on a highway in the wee hours of the morning so they started throwing beer bottles at her car tried running her off the road and when she exited the freeway they followed her and made her crash into someones front yard and then opened fire on all 5 occupants of the car with an AK47 and she died instantly and 3 others were shot as well, but all survived . What people are lacking to see is when they come here illegally and join gangs right away they have to be initiated in and do whatever is asked of them. They are terrorists in my opinion. My mothers best friends mom was raped while jogging as a initiation and her nose was cut off with a beer bottle. The poor woman was 70 years old. Just random acts of violence every single day.
I still think this was the best idea ever for a college group of athletes! this should become a new ritual! they LOVE it…..how cool would it be if every team that came was treated to something along these lines?? cool…..
It’s not a done deal! Don’t sign it, it’s BS!
Wow, did you sleep through 8 yrs of the Obama Administration? McConnell said on the day Obama was elected he would try and stop anything Obama wanted to do, and that’s exactly what he did. Republicans high road is washed out on this one.
We are paying a lot more than 5 billion to care for all the illegals. How can the Dems say walls don’t work when they all have them around their house
So, I support more border security and more border technology, but what happens when they start digging under the wall? Or blowing holes in it and now we are shelling out billions for repairs? Legit question – not looking to argue or fight.
They are putting a moat with alligators in it. The deeper you dig, water and gators are still there. ?
Not to mention , the foundation of the wall would have to be massive underground to hold that kind of weight if done correctly they would have to dig much lower then what we have now
Ritch Ritter only if it transforms into robot form too!
Trump wins again lol
Pete Zito stop being a dummy on the internet
Marc Russin lol I like when people get angry and pm me and fight with me lol
Pete Zito this is why you get punched in the face so often lol
Marc Russin hahaha I’m bored finally go back to work next week with my bionic hip
What does the fast food feast picture have to do with border security?