Government Shutdown Implications (with updates)

USCIS – The current federal government shutdown will not affect USCIS’ fee-funded activities. Only limited programs will be affected by the shutdown, including E-Verify, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program, Conrad 30 Waiver Program, and Non-Minister Religious Workers. See https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/lapse-federal-funding-does-not-impact-most-uscis-operations for more information.

CBP – Customs & Border Protection will be affected in that the website is not currently being maintained. The Admissibility Review Officer (ARO) is currently furloughed, so Forms I-192 are no longer being processed at points of entry. The NEXUS program is also furloughed.

DOS – All State Department employees were ordered back to work starting January 22nd (see https://www.state.gov/m/2019/288491.htm). There are reports that E visa company registration appointments in Frankfurt are on hold due to the shutdown. It is not clear if this applies to other posts.

EOIR – The Executive Office for Immigration Review is affected by the shutdown. The immigration courts are only hearing cases on the detained docket. Cases on the non-detained docket are being advanced.

DOL – The Department of Labor is not affected by the shutdown due to a minibus appropriations bill funding the Department of Labor through September 30, 2019.

SSA – The Social Security Administration is furloughed except for employees required to maintain key functions of issuing original and replacement Social Security cards.

BIA – The Board of Immigration Appeals is only open for processing emergency stay requests, as well as cases where an individual is detained, including appears, motions and federal court remands. The Clerk’s office is open for phone inquiries on detained cases only and the BIA stay line is open for emergency stay calls only.