Trump's Senate Republican allies give OK to USD 5B wall request

Washington, Sep 24 (AP) President Donald Trump's Republican allies controlling the Senate are awarding him with his full USD 5 billion request to build about 200 miles (322 kilometers) of fencing along the US-Mexico border. That's according to a Senate aide familiar with a USD 53 billion draft funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security.

It comes after Trump roiled Capitol Hill by transferring USD 6.1 billion from Pentagon accounts to get around lawmakers opposed to his border wall. Trump won USD 1.4 billion earlier this year through the regular budget process.

He almost immediately declared a national emergency that triggered his ability to conduct a recently announced USD 3.6 billion transfer from military base construction. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has criticised Trump's moves to fund the border fence.

The aide requested anonymity Tuesday because the legislation was not yet public. (AP) IND