US govt has shut down
Vehicles waiting in line to cross into the US via the Paso del Norte International bridge, on the first day of a partial US government shutdown, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Photo: REUTERS
Efforts to swiftly end the US government shutdown collapsed Wednesday as Democrats in Congress rejected proposals to resolve an acrimonious funding stand-off with President Donald Trump and the White House threatened public sector jobs.
With the government out of money after Trump and lawmakers failed to agree on a deal to keep the lights on, federal departments have been closing since midnight, with the White House warning of "imminent" firings of public sector workers.
Senate Democrats — who are demanding extended health care subsidies for low income families — refused to help the majority Republicans approve a House-passed bill that would have reopened the government for several weeks while negotiations continue.
Around 750,000 federal employees are expected to be placed on furlough — a kind of enforced leave, with pay withheld until they return to work.
Essential workers such as the military and border agents may be forced to work without pay and some will likely miss pay checks next week.
The crisis has higher stakes than previous shutdowns, with Trump racing to enact hard-right policies, including slashing government departments and threatening to turn many of the furloughs into mass firings.
His spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters the White House was "working with agencies across the board to identify where cuts can be made... and we believe that layoffs are imminent."
Shutdowns are a periodic feature of gridlocked Washington, although this is the first since a record 35-day pause in 2019, during Trump's first term.
They are unpopular because multiple services used by ordinary voters, from national parks to permit applications, become unavailable.
"I think our government needs to learn how to work together for the people and find a way to make things not happen like this," said Terese Johnston, a 61-year-old retired tour guide visiting Washington from California as the government shut down.
"You compromise. You find ways. So everybody gives a little bit, everybody takes a little bit, and things work."
Democrats — motivated by grassroots anger over the expiring health care subsidies and Trump's dismantling of government agencies — have been withholding Senate votes to fund the government as leverage to try and force negotiations.