US President Donald Trump said that the border wall with Mexico is a "very important tool" for preventing the entry of illegal drugs into this country.
"The Wall is a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)!" Trump tweeted on Monday, adding that "if the wall is not built, which it will be, the drug situation will NEVER be fixed the way it should be".
Trump is insisting that the budget agreement being negotiated by lawmakers to avoid a partial shutdown of the US government include funding for the wall, but that demand is complicating the negotiations, Efe news reported.
The White House has asked Congress to approve $1.4 billion for building the wall, the financing of which is an obstacle blocking a budget agreement to avoid a partial shutdown of the US government, in the budget agreement to fund government operations.
But Democratic congressional leaders oppose including funds for the wall in the budget and have warned that if Trump does not withdraw his demand, they will allow the government to be shut down.
The estimated cost of building the wall, one of Trump's key campaign promises, has risen from the $8 billion initially calculated by the mogul to $21.6 billion, according to the latest figures from the Department of Homeland Security.