United States Capitol Building. AFP Yonhap News. 

The U.S. Donald Trump administration is proceeding with President Trump's top national priorities, such as border control and tariffs, without interruption during a government shutdown that maintains only essential federal functions.

A shutdown refers to a situation where the government temporarily suspends operations, excluding essential services, because Congress has failed to pass a budget bill necessary for federal government operations.

During a shutdown, government agencies place many employees on unpaid leave and only allow employees in "essential" roles to continue working. However, agencies responsible for immigration enforcement and tariff negotiations are retaining more staff than during past shutdowns, according to political news outlet Politico on the 1st (local time).

Administration officials told Politico that core immigration enforcement functions, such as Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will continue without disruption.

ICE, in particular, has already secured funding through President Trump's major national priority, the "One Big Beautiful Law" enacted in July, thus limiting the impact of the shutdown.

"ICE will be fine during the shutdown. Most of what ICE does will continue," an administration official said.

The Department of Homeland Security, which handles border and immigration matters, had planned to retain 88% of its staff during a potential shutdown in 2023, but has now increased that proportion to 95%.

President Trump's tariff policies are also expected to proceed unimpeded.

While trade was generally classified as a non-essential function in the past, the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative's Office (USTR) have stated in their shutdown plans that they will continue to pursue President Trump's trade policies.

For example, the Commerce Department is continuing to issue import permits for steel and aluminum products, conduct item-specific tariff investigations, and carry out export control activities without exception. These tasks were not considered essential in the shutdown contingency plan developed in 2023.

The USTR also plans to continue enforcing tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Although the USTR planned to retain 40% of its staff in its 2024 shutdown contingency plan, it has decided to keep 60% of its personnel on duty this time.

According to Bloomberg News, the Department of the Interior will place thousands of employees on unpaid leave, but those responsible for fossil fuels, such as issuing permits for new oil and gas projects, will be exempted from leave and continue their work.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, where over 70% of employees are expected to be on leave, will use carryover funds to continue operations for "priority conventional energy projects," such as offshore mining permits, but will suspend work on renewable energy projects.

During the 35-day shutdown in 2018, in his first term, President Trump also allowed oil and gas drilling permit operations to continue.

The Trump administration intends to advance its national priorities without interruption while also using the shutdown as an opportunity to harm Democrats by suspending government functions favored by the party and laying off a large number of federal employees.

President Trump told reporters at the White House the previous day, "We can do irreversible things during a shutdown. Things that are not good for the Democrats, and that they cannot reverse. For example, we can cut people (federal employees) enormously or cut programs that the Democrats like."

Yonhap News