The U.S. federal government is on the brink of a partial shutdown, threatening public services and the economy. While essential functions like immigration enforcement, Medicare/Medicaid, and air traffic control are expected to continue, many agencies will face furloughs. National parks may close, research at NIH will stall, and some FEMA programs could be impacted. Critical public health and safety operations, however, are largely prioritized to remain active.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.