Trump blames Democrats for migrant children deaths

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed Democrats for the death of two migrant children in U.S. custody who crossed the border from Mexico.

"Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally," Trump said on Twitter. "They can’t. If we had a Wall, they wouldn’t even try!"

The president's comments come on the eighth day of a partial government shutdown that began after Democrats rejected a budget proposal to allocate $5 billion dollars towards completing the wall along the southern border.

Two migrant children have died this month during their detainment at the hands of U.S. border agents when they were caught crossing into the U.S. illegally.

Migrants from Central America have been increasingly seeking to reach the U.S. amid widespread poverty and gang violence in the region.

Large groups collectively known as "caravans" have drawn the ire of Trump, who has deployed military personnel along the border in a bid to thwart potential illegal crossings.

"The two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadn’t given her water in days," Trump said. "Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit!"

On Friday, Trump threatened to shut down the border after Democrats in Congress did not budge in their opposition to funding the completion of the wall.