Immigration operations to continue despite government shutdown

LOS ANGELES - Despite the government shutdown, immigration operations will continue throughout the country, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. 

A government shutdown means some federal services will be halted or eliminated. The Office of Management and Budget told federal agencies to plan for mass reductions in their workforce within the next few days, in addition to furloughs. 

This brought up rumors that immigration enforcement would be halted during the shutdown, but ICE put those rumors to bed, saying "U.S. immigration laws and enforcement efforts remain unchanged."

They posted to X saying, "There is NO CHANGE to U.S. immigration laws or border enforcement. Rumors that a U.S. government shutdown will allow illegal immigrants to enter the United States are FALSE. U.S. immigration laws and enforcement efforts remain unchanged. Border security and enforcement efforts remain strict, and crossing the border without authorization remains a crime."

ICE also sent the following statement to FOX 11, "Despite a lapse in funding, ICE will continue to remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens including rapists, pedophiles, murderers, gang members and terrorists from our country... the deportations will continue."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also confirmed on X that law enforcement would continue to work without pay during the shutdown.

While law enforcement officers will not be paid during the shutdown, the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 requires all essential and furloughed employees to receive retroactive pay once it ends.

Why did the government shutdown?

The US government officially shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday after lawmakers failed to reach a funding agreement. 

By Wednesday evening, the Senate adjourned for the day with no resolution on how to reopen the government.

Democratic senators voted against a Republican bill to extend funding for seven weeks. They argue it should include funding to extend health care subsidies. The core of the issue is tax credits that have made health insurance through the Affordable Care Act more affordable for millions of people since the COVID-19 pandemic. The credits are set to expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn’t extend them — which would more than double what subsidized enrollees currently pay for health insurance premiums, according to a KFF analysis.

Senators will return Friday to vote again on the GOP measure.