Federal workers and their unions were protesting the shutdown Friday at the San Diego International Airport when the president announced a deal to re-open the government.
President Donald Trump said he would sign legislation to end the partial shutdown for three weeks while he negotiates funding for border security, but affected employees are worried it'll just lead to another impasse.
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"At the end of the three weeks — unless what he wants or the other side wants — it’s going to be a stalemate," said Eric Olmos, an Federal Aviation Administration operation and control specialist in San Diego. "It’s going to happen again."
Olmos had been forced to work without pay during the shutdown. He said he has taken out a loan and used credit cards to get by the last few weeks. He said he does not know why a limited funding bill was proposed.
"I’m still thinking three weeks down the road — what’s going to happen then?" Olmos said.
U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, was at the protest and said he hopes Trump understands shutdowns are not a bargaining tool.
"Look we’re not going to go with this shutdown thing," Peters said. "If he tries to use the shutdown as leverage he should have got the message by now that it’s not acceptable to Democrats."
Peters said he thinks there is a good possibility a deal can be struck for border security within the next three weeks.
"He (Trump) probably won't get everything he wants," Peters said. "We’ll (Democrats) probably have to give more than we want, but let's not use these poor federal workers as pawns."
