By Prime Path Immigration Law Firm Limited USA, on Immigration Updates
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a public statement emphasizing that there would be no change to border security or immigration enforcement during the federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025. ICE specifically countered rumors suggesting that the shutdown would allow illegal immigrants to enter the United States more easily, stating that such claims were false and that U.S. immigration laws and enforcement efforts remain unchanged. The agency stressed that border security and enforcement efforts remain strict, and that crossing the border without authorization continues to be a crime.
Under the Department of Homeland Security's contingency plan, the vast majority of ICE employees—19,626 out of 21,028—were designated as exempt from furlough during the lapse in appropriations, ensuring continued operations. This staffing decision reflects the Trump administration's prioritization of its immigration crackdown and mass deportation agenda, even amid the broader government shutdown that has furloughed thousands of other federal workers. The shutdown resulted from a congressional standoff between Republicans seeking a clean seven-week stopgap funding bill and Democrats demanding an immediate extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies as a condition for reopening the government.
For more information on this, and other immigration matters, contact the attorneys at Prime Path Immigration Law Firm Limited USA today.
Reference:
Jenni Fink, ICE Issues Government Shutdown Warning on Illegal Immigration, Newsweek (Oct. 1, 2025, 9:12 AM), https://www.newsweek.com/ice-g...
