FILE PHOTO: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) speaks with the media following the weekly policy luncheons on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, the lead Democratic negotiator on legislation to protect at least 700,000 young, undocumented immigrants from deportation, on Friday blasted “hardline anti-immigrant” demands from the White House including the construction of a southwestern border wall.

Durbin said in a statement that it was “outrageous that the White House would undercut months of bipartisan efforts by again trying to put its entire wish-list of hardline anti-immigrant bills - plus an additional $18 billion in wall funding - on the backs of these young people.”

Durbin said the demands could push the U.S. government into a shutdown as congressional negotiators simultaneously work on funding the government beyond Jan. 19, when existing federal money runs out.