President Donald Trump has blamed the Democrats for the deaths of two migrant children in US custody, lashing out also at the childrens’ parents for mistreating them. On Christmas Day it was announced that an eight-year-old boy from Guatemala died in US government custody, becoming the second migrant child to pass away while in the administration’s care this month.  The death came just weeks after another Guatemalan, seven-year-old Jakelin Caal, died in a hospital on December 8, shortly after being apprehended by border agents. She died of dehydration and shock after crossing from Mexico into the United States illegally with her father. Mr Trump on Saturday said the Democrats – who are refusing to fund his $ 5 billion (£4bn) plans for a border wall – were to blame for the two deaths. Relatives and friends of the family carry the coffin of Guatemalan seven-year-old Jakelin Caal, who died in a Texas hospital two days after being taken into custody by US border patrol agents “Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally,” he tweeted. “They can’t. If we had a Wall, they wouldn’t even try!” He then turned to blame the childrens’ parents. “The two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. “The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadn’t given her water in days. “Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit!” Mr Trump remains cooped up in the White House, having cancelled his planned Christmas holiday break at his private Florida club. Donald and Melania Trump answer phone calls from children on December 24 The US government shut down on December 21, running out of money after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on the budget, sparring over funding for the border wall. Mr Trump tweeted earlier on Saturday that he was "in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security." But there has been little direct contact between either side during the stalemate, and Mr Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington for another five days, to keep Congress in session. Several federal departments are running on a skeleton staff, and Nasa has dramatically reduced its staffing in the midst of the standoff. On Friday night the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which had the money to function a week longer than some agencies, implemented its shutdown plan at midnight. The Smithsonian Institution has also announced that its museums and galleries will close starting midweek if the partial shutdown drags on.  

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