What about WIC and SNAP benefits?

Tens of millions of people are at risk of losing food and nutrition aid if the shutdown continues into November. That includes 7 million for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and nearly 42 million who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, previously known as food stamps. Their debit-like cards were funded a month in advance through October, but the Trump administration has warned the program will run out of money Nov. 1.

In a letter dated Oct. 10, the USDA told state agencies to hold off distributing November benefits “until further notice” because of insufficient funds. The left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has called on the agency to shift money from its contingency fund and other places to keep SNAP at least partially funded.

Meanwhile, WIC was initially slated to lose funding after only a couple weeks. The Trump administration shifted $300 million in tariff revenue to keep it afloat, but the National WIC Association says that emergency funding will only last through October. It’s calling for an additional $300 million to keep WIC operating for a couple more weeks. Some states could step in to help fill the gap, depending on their resources.

— Jennifer Ludden, NPR

Read more on the impact to food aid for millions of Americans, here.

And what about school lunches?

Some state agencies say they may not have the funds to reimburse schools providing free and low-cost meals.

Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association, says some agencies have told her organization they don’t have the money to pay schools back for meals during the shutdown.

“There is a strong commitment on both sides of the aisle to make sure that kids have access to healthy meals at school, so we are hopeful that the administration and Congress will act before this becomes an issue.”

According to Pratt-Heavner, USDA released funds to regional offices for meals served in October. But some states report they have yet to receive any money, she said. Before the shutdown, USDA released a contingency plan outlining funds states could tap into to cover any gaps. A USDA spokesman did not directly answer NPR when asked if the agency would advance funding to state agencies should the shutdown persist.

— Kadin Mills, NPR

A United States Postal Service (USPS) mail box stands in Manhattan on Aug. 5, 2020 in New York City. Mail services will not be affected by the government shutdown.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

USPS is ‘open for business as usual’

“U.S. Postal Service operations will not be interrupted,” according to a statement by USPS. The postal service is primarily self-funded and doesn’t depend on the appropriations process to continue running as usual.

IRS furloughs nearly half its staff

A contingency plan from the Treasury Department says that slightly more than half of the IRS’ approximately 74,000 workers remain on the job and will continue to work for the foreseeable future. Some IRS employees were issued reduction in force, or RIF, notices on Friday and posted screenshots of those notices informing them of their last day, Dec. 9.

The contingency plan says nearly all of those employees who continue to work will be paid using sources other than annual appropriations, which are on hold during the shutdown. Tasks will include completing and testing systems to handle next year’s tax-filing season, and maintaining computers to prevent the loss of data.

— Scott Horsley, Andrea Hsu and Stephen Fowler, NPR

National Nuclear Security Administration furloughs 1,400 employees

On Oct. 20, the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the nation’s nuclear weapons, said it is furloughing approximately 1,400 employees. The agency is responsible for overseeing thousands of warheads that are not currently deployed on missiles, bombers and submarines.

According to an Energy Department spokesperson, the furloughs are due to the “Democrat shutdown.”

Roughly 400 employees remain on the job providing security and safety oversight. And the office responsible for moving nuclear weapons around the country remains funded until next week.

— Geoff Brumfiel, NPR

In addition, Nevada Public Radio is reporting more than 1,000 nuclear contractors in Nevada could receive notices by the end of the month, because their work relies on the federal government remaining open.

Teachers and schools won’t be directly impacted, but federal education functions might

Eighty-seven percent of Department of Education employees have been temporary furloughed, as detailed in agency shutdown contingency plans.

At the same time, the administration is trying to use a new round of layoffs to gut multiple offices inside the department, including the Office for Civil Rights and the office responsible for overseeing special education, according to multiple sources within the department.

This latest reduction-in-force (RIF) cut at least 121 staffers responsible for overseeing roughly $15 billion in special education funding and for making sure states provide special education services to the nation’s more than 7.5 million children with disabilities. According to multiple sources, the special education office is now left with just a handful of top executives and support staff.

In addition, many Department of Education employees who were furloughed were surprised to see a message blaming Democrats for the government shutdown inserted into their out-of-office replies. A federal workers union is suing the Trump administration for inserting the language into employees’ out-of-office email messages.

— Shannon Bond and Cory Turner, NPR

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2026 went live as scheduled at the start of October. As WPR’s Corrinne Hess reports, the U.S. Department of Education says that student financial aid programs will continue, despite the shutdown.

Greg Freeman, a National Park Service ranger closes the entrance gate due to the government shutdown at the Everglades National Park Shark Valley on Oct. 1 in Florida. Shark Valley remains open to visitors who park outside the entrance gate and walk in, although with limited staffing.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

National Parks are a mixed bag

Across the country, the National Park Service (NPS) have brought their operations to a halt. That includes the National Zoo and other Smithsonian facilities. NPR’s Alana Wise reports that the Smithsonian assured the public that animals would still be cared for during the zoo’s closure. Animal cams are considered nonessential and will be turned off for the remainder of the shutdown.

As KQED’s Sarah Wright and Carly Severn reported, a contingency plan for the NPS says that park roads, lookouts and trails “will generally remain accessible to visitors” for the duration of the shutdown, but other services such as regular road and trail condition updates would not be provided.

Concerns have also been raised about the safety and responsibility of keeping parks open without having a robust number of employees available to conduct critical services.

The Salem, Mass. visitor center will be open through Halloween thanks to community support

WBUR’s Andrea Shea reports that local leaders in Salem, Mass., learned a National Park Service visitor center and its bathrooms would be closed during their busiest tourist season so they took action on a plan to keep them open.

Shea reports that NPS agreed to let Salem reopen the center if the community covered costs through Halloween weekend. Annie Harris — CEO of the non-profit Essex Heritage that helps staff and run the facility — sent out a flurry of emails including to the mayor. Within 48 hours businesses and non-profits raised $18,000 — keeping the center open until Nov. 2.

Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits will continue

Social Security, VA and other benefits will continue.

But employees at Social Security field offices earlier this month said the government shutdown has left them unable to carry out an important service for some recipients. As NPR’s Ashley Lopez reports, workers say they are unable to provide benefit verification letters to people calling in to request them. These official letters act as a sort of income verification and are therefore key to obtaining aid like housing assistance, fuel assistance and help from nonprofits.

In an Oct. 21 email to users answering commonly asked questions about how shutdown impacts, SSA noted the online portal can still be used to access benefit verification letters.

Some furloughed employees at the Labor Department were brought back to work, in order to complete the September inflation report, which is a key ingredient used to calculate the cost of living adjustment that Social Security recipients will receive next year. Friday, the SSA said the payments to recipients will increase by 2.8% next year, or an increase of about $56 per month starting in January.

Read more on how a fight over health policy led to the government shutdown from NPR’s Selena Simmons-Duffin.

ICE will mostly continue uninterrupted

Immigration cases and enforcement are proceeding as usual during the government shutdown, with a few small exceptions. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that the employees in the Office of Detention Oversight, which inspects immigration detention centers, is currently not working. “We hope Democrats will open up the government swiftly so that this office can resume its work,” McLaughlin said.

According to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS law enforcement, including ICE agents, will be paid for work done during the shutdown.

“More than 70,000 sworn law enforcement officers across DHS including those serving in CBP, ICE, Secret Service, TSA and other critical mission areas will be paid for all hours worked during the shutdown period,” Noem posted on X last week. “By Wednesday, October 22, law enforcement officers will receive a “super check” — which covers the 4 days lost, their overtime, and their next pay period.”

The U.S. Coast Guard, which is housed within DHS, will continue to be paid, also according to a post last week from Noem, from funds appropriated in the reconciliation bill earlier this year.

— Ximena Bustillo, NPR

An air traffic control tower at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Oct. 1 in Austin, Texas is seen following the federal government shutdown.

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Brandon Bell/Getty Images

If you’re flying soon …

Air traffic controllers and most Transportation Security Administration employees are considered “essential workers” and have to stay on the job.
Travelers across the U.S. are beginning to feel the impacts of the government shutdown, as air traffic control staffing shortages disrupt flights across the country.
Air traffic controllers helped to end the last government shutdown, and could help end this one as well. A slight increase in shttps://www.npr.org/2025/10/08/nx-s1-5564786/air-traffic-control-staffing-delays-unionick calls at two facilities on the East Coast earlier this month threw some major airports into chaos.
Meanwhile, the FAA’s training academy in Oklahoma City is operating in spite of the government shutdown but air traffic control trainees are still feeling its impact.

Read more on what a shortage of air traffic controllers could do to bring an end to the shutdown from NPR’s Joel Rose.

Signage indicates that Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County, Calif. is closed as a consequence of the government shutdown on Oct. 1, 2025.

Martin do Nascimento/KQED

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Martin do Nascimento/KQED

The impact of the shutdown looks different in different parts of the country

Some states across the country are uniquely positioned to feel the impact of the government shutdown. Reporters from the NPR Network are digging into the ways the government shutdown is playing out in their region.

Here’s what we know so far about how the shutdown is affecting specific communities across the country:

Alaska

• The U.S. Transportation Department says it has secured funding to continue the Essential Air Service program, subsidizing routes to 65 Alaska communities and more than an additional 100 communities nationwide, through Nov. 2. [Alaska Public Media]
• About 15,000 federal employees live in Alaska, one of the highest percentages of federal employees when compared with other states. President Trump’s threat that federal employees could receive termination notices increases the uncertainty around how this crucial workforce to Alaska’s economy could be affected. [Alaska Public Media]

For more on the impact in Alaska, head to Alaska Public Media.

Arizona

• Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said she would not spend state funds to keep Grand Canyon National Park open should the government shutdown. [KJZZ] 
• Social services in Grand Canyon Village are gearing up to support non-essential employees at Grand Canyon National Park, including food pantry resources. [KNAU]
• Sen. Ruben Gallego said the shutdown would also not affect federal relief money to communities in the Miami-Globe area after torrential monsoon rains caused flash flooding in the region [KJZZ]
• Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport joined a handful of other airports across the country that have refused to display a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the government shutdown. [KJZZ]

California

Colorado

• Sites and lands in Colorado operated by the National Park Service are open, but “some services may be limited or unavailable,” according to the agency’s website. [Colorado Public Radio]
• In Colorado, the federal government employs thousands of workers at climate or land-management agencies. An EPA spokesperson told CPR News that the agency is operating under its shutdown plan, which would furlough thousands of employees. [Colorado Public Radio]
• Court documents show almost 200 Colorado-based positions that the Interior Department wants to cut. [Colorado Public Radio]
• Unemployment claims from Colorado’s federal workers are surging amid the U.S. government shutdown. Stephanie Rogers, a Colorado-based microbiologist with the Food and Drug Administration, told CPR she filed for unemployment the day after the shutdown started. [Colorado Public Radio]
• Several Colorado credit unions are already issuing Government Relief Loans to help workers make ends meet. These short-term loans charge no interest as long as they’re paid off within six months. [Colorado Public Radio]

Coloradans: Been impacted by the federal government shutdown? Colorado Public Radio wants to hear from you.

Connecticut

• Connecticut will continue federally funded food assistance programs for state residents during the government shutdown, Gov. Ned Lamont said on Wednesday. But he said the state’s reserve money for SNAP, the food assistance program for low-income families, will run out by the end of the month. [WSHU]
• Connecticut has a $2.5 billion budget surplus this year — its second largest in history. Advocates are asking Lamont to consider using it to help offset the federal shortfall. Legislative leaders are considering appropriating the money during a special session next month. [WSHU]

Georgia

• For federal workers living paycheck to paycheck, one option to get through being furloughed could be filing for unemployment insurance, Georgia Labor Commissioner Barbara Rivera Holmes said. The employees will have to pay the benefits back once the shutdown ends and they receive back pay, but the benefits can help them make ends meet while they are not being paid. [GPB]
• Georgia farmers could also face delays in block grant funding and commodity data they rely on during the time-sensitive season of planting and harvesting. [NPR]

Hawaii

• University of Hawaiʻi is paying affected employees out of pocket during shutdown. Over 830 University of Hawaiʻi employees are at least partially paid through federal dollars, with thousands more in positions that are fully federally funded. UH has been able to pay them with internal funds, but it costs more than $20 million a pay period — every two weeks — for the system to match their salaries. [Hawaiʻi Public Radio]

For more on the impact in Hawai’i, head to Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Illinois

Indiana

• An estimated 24,000 civilians in Indiana work for the federal government. Gleaners Food Bank set up food distribution systems to help federal workers in Indiana impacted by the shutdown. [WFYI]

Iowa

• Over 60,000 Iowans participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. [IPR]

Kansas

• If the federal government shutdown continues, the Mid-America Regional Council said it may need to temporarily close Head Start centers serving more than 2,300 Kansas City children beginning Nov. 1. [KCUR]
• During the last two shutdowns, the USDA did not publish its monthly crop reports. This comes at an inconvenient time as Midwest farmers are in harvest season. [KCUR]

For more on the impact in Kansas City, head to KCUR.

Kentucky

• Funding for food assistance benefits next month isn’t coming, Gov. Andy Beshear said, due to the federal government shutdown. Funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program is also delayed. [LPM]

Louisiana

• The National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, is managed by FEMA and provides flood insurance to those who don’t have a private option. It has grown in size as most homeowner’s insurance policies across the U.S. have dropped flood damage entirely. It covers nearly half a million Louisianans. Policyholders with expiring contracts could lose coverage and funds to pay claims have dropped $30 billion due to the shutdown. [WWNO/WRKF]

For more on the impact in Louisiana, head to WWNO/WRKF.

Maine

• Nearly 170,000 Mainers, or over 12% of the state’s total population, could lose food assistance if SNAP benefits are not funded for November. [Maine Public]
• Even though much of the staff of Acadia National Park in Maine has been furloughed, it has still been busy at the park. [Maine Public]

Maryland

• Prince George’s County is home to more than 60,000 federal workers. The Capital Area Food Bank has been distributing food to federal workers affected by the shutdown. But the timing is a double burden: The Capital Area Food Bank has seen some of its own federal funding slashed even as demand skyrockets. [WAMU]

Massachusetts

• While travelers across the U.S. are experiencing delays and cancellations as a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, it’s mostly business as usual at Boston’s Logan International Airport. [GBH]

Michigan

• In response to how the federal shutdown will affect rural flights in Michigan, airport officials said they are continuing with “business as usual.” At least, for now. Federal funding for the Essential Air Service (EAS) program is set to extend only through Nov. 2. [Michigan Public]

Minnesota

• Thousands of Minnesotans might not receive federal food aid benefits if the government shutdown continues into November, as federal officials have told states that funding for SNAP benefits is running out. [MPR News]

Missouri

• Roughly 650,000 Missourians will not receive SNAP benefits for the month of November due to the ongoing government shutdown. [St. Louis Public Radio]
• The Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis are temporarily closed, with National Park Service work largely on hold. [St. Louis Public Radio]

New Hampshire

• SNAP serves more than 75,000 people in New Hampshire. And while state officials say they’ve received extra money to keep WIC running into November, it’s unclear if SNAP will also be funded. [NHPR]
• On Oct. 7, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., the veteran appropriator who has helped broker past bipartisan deals, told NPR, she has been working behind the scenes with senators from both parties to “find common ground.” [NPR]

For more on the impact in New Hampshire, head to NHPR.

North Dakota

For more on the impact in North Dakota, head to Prairie Public.

Oklahoma

• With the federal government shut down, National Park rangers are not present at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. Victims, family members and first responders are stepping in to educate visitors on the location’s story.⁠ [KOSU]

Oregon

• The federal government program used to subsidize commercial flights in Pendleton got a last-minute reprieve from grinding to a halt due to the partial government shutdown. But as of Wednesday, immediate answers on how that might affect Eastern Oregon’s only commercial airport are in short supply. The municipally operated Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton holds the only Essential Air Service (EAS) contract in the state, a federal program that helps rural airports operate. [OPB]

Pennsylvania

• Tens of thousands of Pennsylvania-based federal workers furloughed during the government shutdown may be eligible for unemployment compensation through the state Department of Labor & Industry. [WITF]

Tennessee

• On Oct. 7, the FAA notified local officials in Nashville that flights in and out of Nashville International Airport (BNA) would be reduced Tuesday afternoon due to a shortage of air traffic controllers during the government shutdown. Nashville’s airport was back to normal by Wednesday morning. [WLPN]

Texas

• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food purchasing support to approximately 3.5 million Texans, including more than 1.7 million children. Those benefits amount to around $617 million per month. [KUT]
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who inspect cargo at the 32 other official ports of entry are among the essential federal workers who must remain on the job unpaid. The longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the risk of cargo backups at these Texas ports due to unpaid employees calling in sick. [Houston Public Media]

Utah

• In Ogden, Utah, about 10 percent works for the IRS, and when federal workers stop getting paychecks, impacts are felt quickly and broadly. (KUER)

Vermont

• If SNAP benefits run out at the end of the month, 63,000 Vermonters would lose their benefits. SNAP dollars fund the Vermont program 3SquaresVT. [Vermont Public]
• Though the Vermont Legislature passed a state budget in May that set aside about $100 million to offset potential federal funding losses, Secretary of Human Services Jenney Samuelson told lawmakers last week that the state might not be able to leverage those reserves. [Vermont Public]
• Meanwhile, Vermont is waiting on more than $22 million in federal funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance, or LIHEAP, which helps people who can’t afford to fill their heating tanks this winter. [Vermont Public]

For more on the impact in Vermont, head to Vermont Public.

Washington

• The Employment Security Department says the 80,000 federal workers in Washington State may qualify for unemployment benefits. [OPB]
• A Bremerton food bank has launched extra hours for federal employees working without pay [KUOW]

Wyoming

• On Oct. 3, Gov. Mark Gordon said Wyoming will cover gaps in funding to federally funded state employees who are in the state budget “in the short-term.” [Wyoming Public Media]

For more on the impact in Wyoming, head to Wyoming Public Media.

NPR’s Padma Rama, Emily Alfin Johnson and Heidi Glenn edited this piece.