The United States has officially shut down after the Senate failed to pass a spending deal by 12:01 am on Wednesday, October 1. The last shutdown in 2018–2019 lasted 35 days, costing the economy around $3 billion in lost GDP. This time, a shutdown could affect federal agencies involved in immigration in varying ways.
Democratic senators have rejected the House Republicans’ plan for a continuing resolution, demanding extensions of Affordable Care Act subsidies and a reversal of nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier this year.
US government shutdown: ICE enforcement to continue unaffected
A lot of federal services and employees would be impacted under this shutdown, with thousands of furloughs already planned; still, some essentials will remain operative. Since the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considered essential, according to the American Immigration Council, arrests, raids, and deportations will continue even during a shutdown.
According to ICE, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) focr foreign students will continue without disruption in enrollment or status. Because of the $29.9 billion for enforcement and $5 billion for detention under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the agency can maintain operations and staffing through 2029 regardless of a shutdown.
USCIS legal immigration
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is mostly funded by application fees, resulting in interviews, naturalisation ceremonies, and biometrics processing to continue. Around 1% of staff may be furloughed, potentially affecting programs like Conrad 30, which brings doctors to rural areas. The E-Verify system, which checks work authorisation, could pause, requiring employers to manually verify documents, though USCIS may provide alternative methods.
Immigration courts face biggest risk
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) runs immigration courts funded entirely by Congress. Non-detained case hearings are likely to be suspended during a shutdown. In 2019, tens of thousands of cases were delayed, with over “80,000-94,000 cases” on hold. Now, a shutdown could cause even larger backlogs.
Detained hearings are expected to continue, and the Trump administration may prioritise them to support ongoing deportation efforts, including the ICE raids.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) law enforcement functions are considered essential and will continue, though some support staff may be furloughed. Minor delays could occur for visa adjudication at the border, including L-1 visas. Funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act gives CBP resources to maintain staffing, technology, and border processing during a shutdown.
State Department services to continue with limits
Visa processing and consular services are mostly fee-funded, so operations generally continue. However, services at certain embassies or consulates could be limited to diplomatic visas or life-and-death emergencies if fees are insufficient.
Overall, immigration enforcement will likely continue, while legal immigration could see minor delays in a few programs. The largest effect would be on non-detained immigration courts, which could pause tens of thousands of cases. Even if Congress eventually avoids a shutdown, funding debates for FY 2026 could further impact ICE and immigration resources.