The United States is at risk of facing a government shutdown for the second time in less than three months (the last shutdown happened between October and November – it lasted 43 days).
Donald Trump and the opposition are racing against time in search of an agreement to approve budget projects for the year. If this does not happen by 23:59 local time, the so-called shutdown begins.
This time, there is a chance it will be a partial shutdown, as Republicans and Democrats have reached an agreement to finance most of the government. Despite this, no vote has taken place so far.
One of the most sensitive topics is covering the costs of the Department of Homeland Security, which controls ICE – the immigration agency responsible for operations that have left two Americans dead this year.
What is shutdown?
The shutdown occurs when Congress does not approve the federal budget on time. As a result, the government runs out of money to maintain services and pay federal employees.
With the government unable to spend, thousands of public servants are placed on furlough, while others, who work in essential services, will have their salaries suspended. The remuneration will be paid retroactively when the budget is normalized.
