Congressional divisions over a federal spending plan have led to multiple shutdowns in recent years, with the current ongoing partial shutdown being the longest in American history. The shutdown began in December 2018 and is still ongoing at the time of writing.
It began when Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives and Senate failed to reach agreement on a spending bill for a number of agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for enforcing immigration laws. This resulted in a partial shutdown of government, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers going without pay. The impasse between the parties has yet to be resolved despite negotiations. The effects of the shutdown have been wide-ranging and have included airport security delays, delays in processing of passport and visa applications, and a backlog of cases at U.S. federal courts. Signs indicate that the current shutdown will continue indefinitely until both sides can come to an agreement.
