Journalism of Courage
US Shutdown 2025: The US government is hours away from a partial shutdown after senators failed to pass a last-minute bill to avert the government shutdown which could have a range of impact on public services and the broader US economy. A few government activities are bound to halt due to employee furloughs and potential layoffs as threatened by US President Donald Trump.
Other functions like NASA space missions, Trump administration’s immigration crackdown via Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and certain public health works at the FDA and USDA are poised to continue. The federal closure would begin at 12:01 am Wednesday (ET).
Most of the employees of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to work, since much of the department’s workforce is tied to law enforcement or work in areas that are funded by user fees instead of Congressional appropriations. In a detailed plan, the homeland department had said that about 14,000 of the agency’s roughly 271,000 employees would be furloughed if a government shutdown takes place.
The DHS plan further stated that activities that include providing Security Service protection to President Trump, processing passengers and cargo coming into the country and carrying out the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement would continue.
Since there will be a staffing shortage due to the impending government shutdown, the Medicare and Medicaid program services will continue uninterrupted but are bound to face delay in services like the mailing of Medicare cards. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the federal government has enough money to fund Medicaid until the first quarter of the next financial year.
Air traffic controllers, who are already on the job and certified, would be classified as essential services and continue to work during the government shutdown, however, their salaries could be affected.
According to a statement by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels, to continue working during a government shutdown and that too without a paycheck adds stress to air traffic controllers, who already carry out a difficult job.
More than half the employees working at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are bound to be furloughed. The employees that would still be working amid the government shutdown include people working for infectious disease outbreaks and care for research animals and maintain laboratories.
The activities that are bound to cease at the CDC include communication with the public, research that consists of ways to prevent illness and health risks among others.
