Government Shutdown Risk Rises as Senate Leaves Until Sept. 29 - What Korean Americans Should Know Before Sept. 30

Since our Sept. 21 story, the shutdown odds have ticked up. On Sept. 19, the Senate failed to advance both a Republican stopgap bill and a Democratic alternative, and as of Sunday night lawmakers indicated the Senate won't return for votes until Sept. 29, leaving only hours before funding runs out at midnight going into Oct. 1 (ET). The House is currently out but is slated to convene again this week ahead of the deadline, according to the Clerk's schedule.

What changed since Sept. 21

The Senate's twin failures on Sept. 19 hardened the standoff, with Republicans seeking a "clean" continuing resolution into late November and Democrats pressing for additional health-care provisions. Vote counts fell well short of the 60 needed, and leaders signaled the next Senate vote would not occur until Sept. 29, compressing the window to avert a lapse. House leaders face their own constraints as they map floor time for any revised CR that could actually pass both chambers.

What likely continues if funding lapses

For immigration and consular users, most USCIS casework continues because the agency is largely fee-funded, though programs tied to appropriations can pause. Expect normal biometrics and adjudications to the extent staffing allows. Embassy/consulate visa operations, also fee-funded, generally continue but may face localized slowdowns. Employers should prepare for E-Verify to be unavailable during any lapse, with DHS historically providing flexibility to resolve tentatives and late verifications after systems return.

The Department of Labor's immigration functions-LCA, prevailing wage, PERM-are subject to appropriations and would suspend during a shutdown, creating knock-on delays for H-1B filings and green-card sponsorships that depend on those steps. Plan for filing calendars to slide and for case strategies to sequence around DOL systems being offline.

What likely closes or scales back

The National Park Service's contingency posture is to close most parks and curtail services if appropriations lapse, with only limited access where areas are physically open and safety can be maintained. Visitors should check individual park alerts rather than assume normal hours. Museums and federally funded programs may scale down operations depending on their funding mix.

What Korean Americans should do now

Students, workers and families should confirm any biometrics/interview appointments are still on and allow extra time for airport security lines, national parks and museums. Employers hiring this week should document Form I-9 steps and note that E-Verify queries may need to be created after the system is restored, per DHS/USCIS guidance in prior lapses. Immigration counsel recommend triaging H-1B or PERM-related moves around potential DOL downtime and keeping internal trackers updated for when systems come back online.

What to watch next

The critical window is Sept. 29-30 when the Senate returns to consider whatever can clear 60 votes and the House lines up floor time for any compromise text. The contours of a deal hinge on duration and add-ons: a short "clean" CR into late November, or a slightly longer patch with targeted policy items. If no agreement reaches the President's desk by 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1 (ET), agencies will begin executing contingency plans. Keep an eye on official Senate/House calendars for vote calls and on agency pages for real-time service updates.