US president Donald Trump has invited senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to the White House to try to reach a deal to avoid a government shutdown.

Mr Schumer is expected to meet with Mr Trump shortly.

The move comes as a bitterly divided Washington hurtles toward a shutdown amid a clash over demands by Democrats for a solution on politically fraught legislation to protect 700,000 younger immigrants from being deported.

Republicans and Democrats in congress and the White House have traded blame for the shutdown with just hours remaining before the midnight deadline.

Democrats in the senate have served notice they will filibuster a four-week, government-wide funding bill that cleared the House on Thursday evening. That could expose them to charges that they are responsible for a shutdown, but they point the finger at Republicans instead.