House Intelligence Committee ranking member Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffTop Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence Overnight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies MORE (D-Calif.) spoke out Tuesday against a plan from the panel's chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes Devin Gerald NunesSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Sunday shows preview: With less than two months to go, race for the White House heats up Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-Calif.), to build a physical barrier between the staffs of Democrats and Republicans on the committee, calling the idea "terrible."

In an interview in Politico's Playbook, Schiff says that ending the cooperation between minority and majority members on the committee would have a negative effect on the committee's Russia investigation.

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"One of the things I've really treasured about our [House Intelligence] committee is that our staff all sit together, our staff work together," Schiff said Wednesday.

"The Russia investigation has made that difficult, but ... the non-Russia-related work has continued in a very nonpartisan way," he added.

The California Democrat joked that like President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE's plan for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, Mexico will be unwilling to foot the bill for this barrier.

"So the wall is a terrible idea," Schiff said, adding: "Plus, Mexico will never pay for it. Though I suspect if they did build the wall in our committee, it will be the only wall Trump ever gets built."

The committee has been at the center of weeks of partisan bickering over the release of a Democratic memo meant to counter claims made in a Republican-crafted document released earlier this month detailing alleged surveillance abuses by the FBI.

The White House refused to release the Democratic memo earlier this month, accusing Democrats of including classified material and calling for redactions.

Last week, Schiff said that he was close to reaching a deal with the FBI to release the Democrats' version of the memo.

"I think we’re very close to reaching an agreement on it,” he said.

“What I am trying to gain visibility into is what are the concerns of the FBI and [Justice Department], because we want to redact that. And what are political redactions that the White House might be insisting on?” he said.

Tensions between Republicans and Democrats on the committee have reportedly become so hostile that it was reported earlier this month that GOP members of the committee are planning to build a literal wall separating the two parties’ staffers.

The partition is expected to be constructed this spring in the committee’s secure spaces.