As you may have heard by now, President Trump is considering declaring a state of emergency, but why? Similarly to a child throwing a fit, the President is lashing out in hopes to convince the Senate to approve the infamous wall. Trump argues that the current border patrol policies are much too lax, facilitating illegal immigration and drug importation from southern countries. According to the New York Times, in addition to facing opposition on Capitol Hill, Trump has also been met with protest from Republicans, creating a divide in the party. The president is receiving criticism both for the proposition to build a wall along the southern border- a focal point of his 2016 campaign- as well as for the actual costs of the shutdown.

Although some of us may not be personally experiencing the effects of the shut down in our daily lives, there are many Americans who are. Over 800,000 federal employees have been granted temporary leave or even been required to work without pay since the shutdown began on December 22 of 2018. “I felt really bad for the TSA workers when I flew over winter break, because I know they weren’t getting bad.” says Whitney Young student, Daisy Salchli ’20.

It is somewhat unclear whether the IRS will provide tax return during the shutdown. Senior, Annika Chrobak-Prince, commented, “Some people depend on that paycheck for survival so it’s petty that they may not receive it.” In addition, there has been a cease of federal funding to Native American communities for programs as vital as healthcare. ABC News reassures us that food stamps will still be administered during the shutdown, although other media sources seem to think that isn’t guaranteed.

Tristan Taylor ’19, a senior here at the school, told me that he “is hoping that this won’t last much longer, it’s inconvenient for so many people.” While we all hope for a near end to the shutdown, there does not seem to be a compromise in sight.