Trump expected to offer a deal for the ‘dreamers’ to end government shutdown

US President Donald Trump is expected to try to end the government shutdown with an offer to provide sanctuary to some immigrants in return for funding for a border wall with Mexico.

In an address from the White House, Trump is expected to extend protection for so-called “dreamers” - adults who were brought to the US illegally as children - in return for the US$5.7 billion he wants for border protection.

The fate of this group, who were previously protected under Obama-era laws, has been one of the most contentious immigration battlegrounds of Trump’s presidency.

According to Axios, Trump will also offer a similar deal to thousands refugees living in the US under Temporary Protected Status, granted after their countries of birth were struck by natural disasters or political violence.

The United States is currently in the middle of its longest ever partial shutdown, over the Democrats’ refusal of Donald Trump’s request for $US5.7 billion ($A8 billion) to fund his border wall.

While some 800,000 federal workers are currently either furloughed or working without pay, the spat has in recent days descended into farce.