US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to "entirely" close the southern US border with Mexico if lawmakers refuse his demands to fund a wall.
"We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with," Trump tweeted.
The Republican leader's warning came as a partial federal government shutdown was set to drag on into next week, with legislators in Washington failing to reach a compromise over Trump's insistence on funding the border barrier.
Both sides have dug in, with Democrats refusing to provide USD 5 billion for the project and the president -- who has made hardline immigration polices a centerpiece of his presidency -- vowing he will not fully fund the government unless he gets the money.
In November, Trump threatened to close the "whole border" with Mexico if "it gets to a level where we're going to lose control or people are going to start getting hurt."