. >> jacqueline simon is at her desk on day 24 of the ongoing government shutdown. she serves as policy director of the american federation of government employees, the largest federal employee unioned in the country and did you think this would go 24 days? >> guest: it was my worst fear, but yes, , yes, i am surpd it's goneis this long trip for w long did you think it will go? had a cyst in? >> guest: i have not: idea how long it will go.. you know, obviously there does seem to be some good possibilities for for a succesl resolution to all of this if senator mcconnell allows the boat in the senate of the house passed bills. whether that will happen when that will happen i don't know. >> host: do think that is the most likely pathu at this poin? what are doing for members of congress that your group talks has been talking to? >> guest: our members are calling their senators and urging them to urge senator mcconnell to allow a vote. i more or less the exact same bill that passed the senate unanimously on december 19. >> host: by the way, until the end of our program

. >> jacqueline simon is at her desk on day 24 of the ongoing government shutdown. she serves as policy director of the american federation of government employees, the largest federal employee unioned in the country and did you think this would go 24 days? >> guest: it was my worst fear, but yes, , yes, i am surpd it's goneis this long trip for w long did you think it will go? had a cyst in? >> guest: i have not: idea how long it will go.. you know, obviously there does seem to be some good possibilities for for a succesl resolution to all of this if senator mcconnell allows the boat in the senate of the house passed bills. whether that will happen when that will happen i don't know. >> host: do think that is the most likely pathu at this poin? what are doing for

inessential because every federal employee is doing an important job that is essential tremor jacqueline simon is policy director at the american federation of government employees appreciate your time. >> guest: thank you so much. >> we will hear from president trump at the 100th annual convention of the american farm bureau federation in new orleans. we will take you there life when it gets underway on c-span2. until then more of today's "washington journal." >> alex joins us. works as an immigration policy analyst at the cato institute in washington, d.c. join us after the top administration last week decided thousands of special interest aliens encountered at the southern border as the reason for the need for the border wall. first explain how one gets classified as as a special intt aliens and what that means. >> guest: basically two characteristics that determined that of the individual traveler that comes to the border. the first is whether they're from a country that has been designated as an origin point for special interest aliens, countries that are determined by the department of h