President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that “a state is an agent for the federal government in elections,” as he defended his call for Republicans to nationalize elections.

The move makes Illinois the second US state to join the program in defiance of Republican President Donald Trump after California, also led by a Democratic governor, joined in January.

The government shutdown continues as House Republicans face a razor-thin majority to pass the bill that includes funding for the Pentagon, HUD and transportation programs.

For a fleeting moment in Washington, top Democrats believed last week they could reach a deal with the GOP to set new limits on President Donald Trump’s nationwide immigration enforcement after ...