Washington: US President Donald Trump launched a new plan to end a government shutdown, which has been ongoing for nearly a month, by offering protection from deportations for some undocumented immigrants in exchange for $5.7 billion for constructing a wall on the US-Mexico border.

The Democrats, however, rejected the deal as a "non-starter" and called on Trump to open the government before negotiations on immigration could start. Trump offered that he would give protection from deportation for young people brought to the country illegally as children (Dreamers) and also extend it to those with temporary protected status (TPS) after fleeing countries affected by natural disasters or violence.