WASHINGTON (Reuters) – As U.S. government funding ran out at midnight, the White House issued a statement blaming Senate Democrats for blocking a bill to avert a shutdown and said it would not negotiate on immigration, a key demand of Democrats.

“We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands,” the statement said after the funding legislation failed to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural hurdle.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Leslie Adler)