In case you missed it, here is the president’s full proposal, as reported by Fox News. It was not reported in the staff and news service account published on Page A3 of the Maine Sunday Telegram on Jan. 20.

• “A three-year extension of protections for 700,000 immigrants who came to the country illegally as children and were shielded from deportation under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

• “(An extension of) protections for 300,000 recipients of the Temporary Protected Status program – which protects immigrants from designated countries with conditions that prevent nationals from returning safely.

• “$800 million for drug detection technology to secure ports of entry.

• “2,750 new border agents and law enforcement professionals.

• “Seventy-five new immigration judges to reduce an immense backlog of asylum requests.

“This, in exchange for the $5.7 billion he has requested for a barrier on the southern border with Mexico.”

All of the politicians in Washington are responsible for stopping the shutdown. The president has made a proposal; clearly, there is room for negotiations, for compromise, but the Democrats rejected it before the details were known. They refuse to negotiate, to compromise.

I don’t know what to do.

Brian C. Jones

Gorham