U.S. Government Shutdown: Here's How Immigration Agencies Are Affected

The United States federal government was forced to shut down at 12:01 ET on Oct. 1 after Congress was unable to agree on the required spending bills before government funding expired on Sept. 30.

In general, a government shut down occurs when Congress fails to pass appropriations bills or a continuing resolution to fund federal government operations. Without funding, non-essential federal government functions cease, including various federal agencies (or aspects of them) that are responsible for processing certain immigration benefits and applications.

Here is a breakdown of how the shutdown can create disruptions in the immigration process and what to expect until Congress agrees on funding: