U.S. Immigration Alerts

Federal Government Shutdown: What Services Are Affected

FGI ALERT: October 3, 2025

Because Congress did not pass a Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bill or temporary funding measure by September 30, 2025, the federal government entered a partial shutdown which is not expected to end this week. Immigration operations are affected unevenly. Below we provide an updated list on the current status of immigration-related agencies and services. 

• USCIS Operations: As a fee-funded agency, USCIS continues to adjudicate applications and petitions. However, USCIS Director Edlow (October 2, 2025) warned of delays in processing times, interviews, naturalization ceremonies, and contact center responses due to resource reprioritization during the shutdown—departing from prior shutdown patterns. Cases requiring support from suspended agencies may also be delayed.
• State Department Services: Consular operations remain active for visa issuance and U.S. passport processing, funded by filing fees. Certain domestic support functions are suspended, potentially delaying some adjudications. Domestic passport offices located in closed federal buildings could also be impacted. If the shutdown is prolonged and fee funding runs out, visa services may be limited to emergency cases.
• Department of Labor (DOL): All immigration-related functions are suspended, including processing of PERM and temporary labor certifications, labor condition applications (LCAs), and prevailing wage requests. The FLAG online system and related DOL platforms are offline and not accepting submissions or responses.
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Enforcement functions remain operational. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) continues to operate normally.
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Border inspections and port-of-entry operations continue without interruption. Applications such as TN and initial blanket L status filings by Canadian nationals are still being processed.
• E-Verify Program: The program is currently expired. Employers cannot initiate new queries or resolve tentative non-confirmations, though they are not required to meet E-Verify deadlines during the shutdown. Employers must not take adverse action against employees affected by this suspension. DHS-authorized remote I-9 verification may still be used by employers in good standing. Employers using E-Verify must still complete I-9 verifications for new hires and be prepared to run the  E-Verify cases in accordance with USCIS guidance once the system is restored.
• SAVE System: The USCIS database used by government agencies, including state DMVs, for immigration status verification remains operational during the shutdown.

The content of this article is intended only to provide a general guide to the subject matter. It should not be construed as legal advice. Please contact FGI at info@employmentimmigration.com or (+1) 248.643.4900 for guidance if you have specific questions.