On October 1, 2025, the federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to pass an appropriations or temporary funding bill. This has resulted in a freeze of non-essential government services. Below are the highlights of what is and is not impacted with respect to immigration services:
- Department of Labor (DOL) Immigration Functions: Processing of Labor Condition Applications (LCAs), prevailing wage determinations, and PERM applications will be suspended until Congress enacts a further stopgap spending measure or the FY 2025 budget is passed.
- Fee-Based Functions will continue, which include:
- USCIS petitions and applications (this includes applications, biometrics processing, interviews, and naturalization ceremonies)
- State Department visa and passport services.
- ICE and CBP functions will continue as these are deemed essential.
- Conrad 30 program could be suspended; this is still to be determined.
- E-Verify system is shut down and is not being actively managed.
For services that will continue, if the shutdown is prolonged, we can expect delays.
The Trump Administration has not released any public-agency specific shutdown plans. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and keep you informed of any developments. If you have specific concerns regarding your immigration case or related matters, please do not hesitate to reach out.
