Liberty will be reopened as will mount rus rushmore. A massive cyclone is brewing. Sigh chloe anyway lynn. Thousands have been ordered to evacuate. Those are the headlines. See you again in just one hour. As always, you can follow us any time on aljazeera. Com. Join the conversation because theres always more to it. At aljazeera. Com. Bbipartisan Immigration Reform seemed like a sure thing a few months ago. Of after the sen Senate Approved the bill its being stalled. Unusual ways the Government Shutdown is affecting americans. Well hear from three people that are facing different but real crisis. Comic books go to war. The number of comic book journalists who are caught behind the line of conflicts. We begin with immigration. As the government focuses on shutdown comprehensive reform is on the back burner. People around the country are trying to bring the issue back to the forefront. We are seeing the year is ending and the government is shut and they have been shutting down Immigration Reform for months already. Pr protestor joined in protesting to take up the immigration bill. We are tired and done and we dont want to wait anymore. We want Immigration Reform this year and we want it now. Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Its time for the u. S. Government to stop the deportation and the separation of families. The Government Shutdown and the looming debt ceiling. The Senate Passed a bipartisan bill in june to overhaul the journey the Immigration Reformed a sri casadvocates have been frd with the house. Its in th the National Security interest of the United States. Its in the International Economic interest of the United States and its in keeping with our long history as a nation of immigrants that we want a vote in the house of representatives on the Immigration Reform and we want it now. On tuesday members of Congress Took part in the immigration rally for dig any dy and respect on the national mall. 800 labor leaders were arrested there after they belonge belongn street after the rally. For more im joined by a congressman who represents the illinois fourth district. Congressman great to have you with us. Thank you, its a pleasure to be with you antonio. President obama met with senators on friday and to reach an agreement on the shutdown and to see the dibt debt ceiling extended. There is nthere itsits not clo be a break through. But majority leader harry reid was caustic saying the sixweek extension by the house g. O. P. Will go no where in the senate. What do you think will happen . I dont know. Here is what i can say, its great they are having conversations. I can tell you my friends on the republican side of the aisle are looking for resolution. We saw kon congressman king from new york and his caucus and the house of representatives should not be ruled by ted cruz. I came to the congress of the United States to expand healthcare coverage for americans. I want them to have exactly, no i dont want them to have exactly what i have, i would like them to have better than what i have. Mine is a great Healthcare System which is provided to me through my job. I pay 25 prgs o 25 of it and ts employer contribution and identif identical to other federal employee. Its similar to how many of us gitget our healthcare. I would like to see that expanded through america. Im happy we are not negotiating on that we are in creel o contre budget and as long as we are not relitigating things that have been settled i get it. Lifting the debt ceiling should not be part. But you know, barack obama when he was in the senate he said i didnt want it. He said clearlily tha clearlt ceiling should not be raised. This is a political dog for both parties. President obamas rating on this is 37 accord ing to a poll. But its worse for the republicans who are getting a big chunk of the blame from the american people. You were there for the shutdown in the 90s. How does that outside pressure or the polling what americans are thinking does that make the deal easier . Easier. I think it brings people to the table. My political posturing is costing. And this place is a political animal. Its impacted by what are my opportunities, a, to retain power . I have got it. What are m or what are my opportunity to retain power. That is the prisum of the the debate. When you stand on the princple, or i wo i would say v. When paul ryan who runs for president , comes up to me and says lets Work Together on Immigration Reform because we shouldnt have a firm permanenr class in america. That is against our catholic values. That is a foundation that is sustainable. Versus, you know, look this will be good for my party or my party is going to be in bad shape if they dont do it. That is political considerations. Lets talk about immigration and the politics of immigration. You have been out there as much as anyone. You may be one. Main leaders of the comprehensive reform movement. You spent time behind bars you were one of eight members that were arrested at a rally for reform. You said on tuesday you know there are enough votes in the house to pass a bhi bill that wd reform immigration and come up with a pathway to citizenship. The Senate Passed a bill in june. What is happening in the house . What is happening in the house is syria happened in the house. The debt ceiling happened in the house. The budget. I mean. Here we are having a debate and the secretary of treasury says while we are on recess. The 17th is the day we run out of money and you have to lift the debt ceiling. When that occurs Everything Else is going to take a second stake to that. Part of this are things you cant control. The storm will pass and then well be able to move. The movement is too large. Its too expansive. Its roots are cemented in our every day life. People are not going to give up on this. Thi this is who we are. This is like breathing or eating. This is like having to bathe. This is like an every day necessity for our community. That is accomplishing the goal of passing an immigration system. A lot of people think, well we can wait. No we cant. 1100 people were deported today and 1100 tomorrow. And 100,000 have been deported that could have been fitted from that bill. There is a story from the New York Times that talks about any overhaul of the immigration laws is likely to be stalled from any of these things syria or the debt ceiling and ae end of 20 2013 at the best. Ddo you think the republicans that are breaking Immigration Reform may break ranks because they are worried about pol polis in an election year. In one week the democrats have been able to get 10 180 democrats behind a immigration bill. When was the last time the democratic leadership was for a com reform . I know you are thinking, you no why,er in. Why, never. We were in a majority, and we never. And now we are in the minority its helpful to us. We won the remember re referendum last november 6th. We are for it. That is a positive thing thing d momentum. I have 100 people to cosponsor immigration refeerm. Reform. No one said great, good luck im happy for you. It wasnt like we were going to pass it. No. 2, there are 45 or 50 a magazine last week is quoted as saying, a conservative as being over 8 80 republicans ready. That is movement in the right direction. And that eventually is going to gel and its going to give us a reform. We have had the dream nine on our show. And you opposed what they did. These are young people that went to mexico and come back to the United States and call attention to their issue of the undocumented young people that have been brought to the states. How do you expect them and the rest of the activist community to respond if the house puts off Immigration Reform. First of all they came to my office and i supported them. I immediately wrote a letter to the president of the United States and the department of Homeland Security asking them to be released. You lobbied for them but you werent happy with the fact that they distracted i agree with you but i dont want you released. I think fundmently, here is what i do every day. You know what i do, i get calls from people that say, stop my deportation. That is what we should be doing. Stopping it and putting people in a safe place. The Broader Movement was there this past tuesday. You know that as i write in the book, im lonely. Wi write a letter to the president and i turned around that day in washington, d. C. I was alone. Im not alone anymore. There were eight members of congress there. We could have gotten more. The fact is that the people are ready. For this movement i will be get arrested. An icon of the Civil Rights Movement we are really broadening our movement. We are in such a better place. You have been disappointed with the president who is a fellow chicagoian. You in your book are tough on the pred ee presiden ee presideu believed he would lead the way for Immigration Reform and it hasnt happened. Look i sat down with the president and he said, will you support me . I have to tell you, i didnt ask him for an ambassador ship. I didnt ask for him to give me a princple roll i didnt ask him to be anything other. Will you lead and champion the cause of the Immigration Reform no member of the hi hispanic congressional caucus was with him. I was with him. Every other member was with Hillary Clinton and he got beaten in la and chicago and new york and miami. Check the tallies. Hillary clinton beat him among hispanics in every state and municipal and village across the country. I stood with him and i expect him to stand with our community. He said imaut im going to passn the first year of my administration. That is my priority. So much was expected because so much was promised. I think its my role and my responsibility not to position myself for the best seat at the next dinner at the white house or who is going to be on air force one or 0 who is going to e taken on the overseas trip with the president. I think its people struggling every day in fear for their families. 1100 today have been deported. We only have a couple of minutes left. I want to get two or three questions in. At the protest you called for Immigration Reform that benefit the parents of the dreamers and the kids and respect the family and honors hard work and reestablishing the rule of law. On the other hand what would you say to people that oppose Immigration Reform. Who say illegal imglacia immigrn flouts the law . I want a system of those that are born in america gets the first crack. The only way you will get that system is through comprehensive immigration form and putting in a system of e verification. If you dont want people coming illegally and crossing the border illegally you are tough on those positions. Wait moreover i want to end illegal imfrustratio immigratiow it. I think that is the right roo way to do it. You dont want to mill militarize the border. Its a waste of money e. They artheyare our neighbors. I want to make this point for everyone listening in america. Mexico and me mexicans by buy me products produced in the United States than all of europe combined. You can take spain and inning ee englaninning. England and germany. That means they buy. They are our partners we should have a part the a partnership w. We should take that border and make that border something that is secure. We have to fight drug smugglers and drug dealers and human smugglers not come hi commerce and industry. As we struggle for mexico we provide meaningful wage for mexicans. My mom and dad did not come to america in the 50s and they were in new york city what did they hear. They came because they are lazy and they dam came to get on wel welfare they came because they are bringing diseases. That is the picture of my parents. A personal question something you raise in your book after you had been a congressman for four years you were stopped by security on the steps of capitol hill in the years since you have now been there for 20 years. Its been 15 years since that happened. Have things gotten better . Things have gotten better and yet, the capitol hill miss security aid said to me why dont you go back to where you came from. You know the story of my life in america many times. I have always been too puerto rico t ian to be an american. I was born in america. I am a american citizen by birth. You cant question i belong in this country. That is whro what the Republican Party has to us an. Understand ssments that is what you propagate in the United States of america prejudice and bigotry. Thank you for being with us and best of luck in these negotiations. Coming up the very varied real world impact of the shutdown. We are talking to people that are suffering from real pain from their leaders inability to get the deal done. What do you think. We are fielding your questions and join our conversation on on august 20th, shutdown was ending its not. The federal workers will get back pay eventually but even they have busines bills to pay. Many other American Workers will never see the money they have lost again. The insid just neist you naturea shutdown from a man starting his own business and communities that rely on tourism are feeling the squeeze. Joining me now to talk about how the shutdown is affecting their lives. Thank you all for being on the show tonight. Kelly i want to start with you. We heard how the National Parks have been hit hard with the shutdown. October is peek season and the Scenic Railroad that goes through the ki the national par. Its not running from a bizarre situation the federal government owns the rails but not the railroad. Huhow is this affecting you . You are a nonprofit and its affecting a th a lot of visitort use the railroad every year. This year we have had to cancel 3000 passengers that would have taken advantage of coming out to take advantage of the National Park. What will it mean for the nonprofit . We dont know what the full impact will be. We are losing 12 to 15,000 a day. This is not income we can make up. There is no back pay we can expect, this is lost revenue for us. We are day b daybyday and we t sure how it will workout for us yet. Why are you not allowed to run it. During the 1995 shutdown you were able to run. That was for a special event for the christmas holiday. Th they had a little more negotiating power than we do at this point. Tim i want to hear from you. You are starting a rum distillery and then the shout down iyoushutdownis happening ag you. Two years ago i started planning this business and i went through the regulatory efforts not only the federal level to get licensed and the state and the local municipalities and i leased the building and purchased the equipment. I got all of my licencing and a few weeks ago i started producing rum. And the final formality is to get the label approved. Anthrough the tax and trade bureau. And they are sthu shutdown. I am at a complete stan standst. I can produce product but not sell a drop. This is an o obscure agency that no one has heard of. The alcohol and toi tobacco andx bureau. Its bad enough when the government is functioning properly but when its shutdown its unprecedented. This affects anybody who is trying to put out any new alcohol. How bad is this for you or how much are you losing . Im losing expensewise its thousands a month. It could be fiv 5 to 10 thousand dollars every month. I pay rent on a building and i have gas and water expenses and gas and utilities and i have zero income. And its so new i yet have and a product approved. Its affecting everybody. They cant bring new products. They at least have have established business from other products. This is my only product and i cant get anything on the market. Natasha yo your case is whate have heard more about. You were furloughed from a census burrow bureau. This broke my heart i had to sit down with my fiveyearold girl to have a conversation conversas with her. What is the Immediate Impact on you and your family . The Immediate Impact my husband and i both work. He is not a federal government employee. I make more money than him. My contribution is what we depend on together to make it daybyday, and just to make ends meet. So its a lot of pressure on him to hold down bills that he wouldnt be able to do alone by himself. We are finding our self self oug to figure out which expenses we are going to pay over others. Most of us will receive our last paycheck tomorrow or no later than wednesday. And not to mention the deductions that already come out of our checks tsp and Health Insurance and dental and vision will be automatically deducted. By the time our deductions come out we are looking at less than 30 300 to receive on our paychek for the house w we worked on the week before the shutdown. Filing unemployment if you dont get back to work soon . File unemployment and we had a plan to borrow cash from our Life Insurance policy and bore borrow money from our 401k and we are down to driving one vehicle versus two and we have taken our daughter out of child care. And some days well do Public Transportation versus driving. We have a social media question. Thank antonio. On twitter ashley says, dude, the Scenic Railway is shutdown too . I feel like the effects keep coming. Open up the