Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that Democrats would not give in to President Trump’s demands for funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, calling the proposal “ineffective” and a poor use of taxpayer money.

“At its core, our responsibility in government is to manage public money. We can either manage it efficiently or we can waste taxpayer dollars,” Jeffries, who was recently elected Democratic caucus chairman, said on ABC’s “This Week.” “And what Donald Trump and the Republicans want to do is waste $5 billion in taxpayer money on an ineffective medieval border wall that is a fifth century solution to a 21st century problem.{mosads}

“Yes, we need comprehensive immigration reform,” he continued. “Yes, we need to enhance border security. But we are not willing to pay $2.5 billion or $5 billion and wasting taxpayer dollars on a ransom note because Donald Trump decided that he was going to shut down the government and hold the American people hostage. That’s unreasonable.”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries on government shutdown negotiations: “What Donald Trump and the Republicans want to do is waste $5 billion in tax payer money on an ineffective, medieval border wall that is a 5th century solution to a 21st century problem” https://t.co/sLB2QZZpOH #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/KzzF62oT2L

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 30, 2018

Parts of the federal government have been shut down for more than a week as Trump and lawmakers clash over funding for his proposed border wall. Trump, who earlier this month said he’d be “proud” to shut down the government, has demanded $5 billion for the wall, while Democrats have refused to budge from an offer of $1.3 billion for border security.

The Senate previously passed a stopgap bill that contained $1.6 billion for border security, and the House passed a bill that contained $5 billion. The two sides have not been able to reach an agreement, and most lawmakers in recent days left Washington, D.C., indicating no breakthrough appears imminent.