How the Rio Grande Valley Has Been Impacted By the Partial Government Shutdown

William Greer

The start to a new year means new hopes and no worries for many--but federal government workers face a different narrative. The United States Federal Government shut down partially over disputes about immigration funding and further money being directed for the border wall along the United States – Mexico border.

An issue that is not a concern for many could have major impacts on several families if the shutdown continues. In Hidalgo County, the Department of Housing and Urban Development could see funding disappear without immediate action from Washington in the coming weeks. People in the Housing and Urban Development will not, as is the case for roughly 800,000 federal government employees, be receiving a paycheck at the end of the month, after paychecks have not gone through in the last few pay cycles.

The director of the Hidalgo authority says that at the moment, there is nothing to be too concerned about in regards to running out of funding – temporarily. “If they shut down we’re okay for two months, but after that it would [have] a very direct impact [on the Department of Housing and Urban Development],” says Mike Lopez. “Once February strolls around, funding could dry up for the department, and that means devastation and eviction for many families who depend on the department’s operations.”

The most obvious people who will be affected are border patrol agents within the Department of Homeland Security. Visas and passport services will be halted, causing economic loss for the Rio Grande Valley as it is dependent on these services to import labor and move goods across the border. In addition to these two departments, the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge will not grant access to visitors, which has put many in a position where they cannot have access to public lands. This could have a detrimental impact on travel plans based around visiting monuments, museums, and parks around the nation, but specifically in the Rio Grande Valley.

In educational funding, the McAllen Learning Center could see funding for nutritional services be cut if the shutdown is prolonged. As in most cases concerning the shutdown, services will not run out entirely over the course of a few weeks. However, if Donald Trump’s predictions are any indication for how long the shutdown will last, many programs won’t last in “[a] very long shutdown.”