Navigating The Impacts Of A Government Shutdown On Immigration

As Congress was unable to come to an agreement regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, the government has officially "shutdown" as many of its departments and offices do not have funding to continue operations and pay its employees. However, many departments, including those related to immigration, are either considered "essential" or "self-funded" and will continue operations in at least some capacity during the shutdown. This blog will discuss the expected impacts of the government shutdown on agencies associated with immigration.

Key Impacts on Immigration Agencies

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

USCIS is the primary agency for processing immigration benefits in the United States. Considered to be "self-funded", its operational costs are almost exclusively funded by the fees paid with petitions and applications. It is expected that nearly all USCIS functions will continue as usual, including interviews and naturalization ceremonies.