Lawmakers’ failure to approve a funding measure triggered a federal government shutdown that began at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. In Evanston, the shutdown will furlough federal workers and could pose potential adverse effects on programs that rely on federal funding to function.
The funding measure is a short-term funding extension that would keep the federal government running until Nov. 21. The bill passed in the House, but reached a stalemate in the Senate with a 55-45 vote.
Senate Democrats withheld votes on the measure, both in opposition to steep cuts to Medicaid enacted by Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” earlier this year and in protest of a $5 billion freeze of previously approved funds for existing social programs. Democrats also sought an extension of Obamacare tax subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year.
During a shutdown, non-essential federal workers are placed on furlough and are not allowed to work or get paid until the government reopens. The president and lawmakers warn that this shutdown may cause mass layoffs, which Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said could number in the thousands.
These layoffs would come in addition to those caused by the Department of Government Efficiency’s initiatives earlier this year. Evanston RoundTable reported that Evanston residents employed by the Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services were among those previously terminated.
In 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey found that there were more than 153,000 federal workers in the state of Illinois, with over 58,500 of them in Cook County.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has not confirmed if its agencies will be affected by furloughs or layoffs. Most ICE agents are expected to remain on duty during the shutdown, as immigration enforcement is designated an essential service under the White House’s contingency plan.
ICE maintains a significant presence in the Chicago area. Its Broadview detention facility has been a key part of the “Midway Blitz” operation in the region.
During the last partial government shutdown, which lasted 34 full days, Evanston Now reported that 240 residents were furloughed and assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children suffered a loss of federal funding.
It is not certain whether there will be layoffs, which agencies would be affected and to what extent layoffs could affect Evanston.
In response to the shutdown, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) said essential services, including Veterans Affairs, air traffic control and the U.S. Postal Service, will continue in a post on her congressional website. The site also said processes for Medicaid and Medicare may be slowed down as a result of a mass furlough.
Families who rely on SNAP benefits will continue to receive assistance through October. However, if the shutdown stretches beyond the end of this month, the program will be left without critical federal funding, the site says.
WIC, which has just a few days of contingency funding, may also be affected.
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