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Rabat – The US federal government went into shutdown at midnight last night, halting many public services both internationally and domestically.
The US Embassy in Morocco announced this morning that it is unable to operate fully due to the shutdown.
“Due to lapse in appropriations, this website will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the expectation of urgent safety and security information. American Citizen Services and scheduled visa services at U.S. Consulate General Casablanca will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits,” a statement on their social media channels read.
Though some embassy and consulate services are still in operation, their services will likely be significantly delayed or inaccessible.
Alongside Morocco, US embassies in the Gulf countries, India, and Bangladesh have issued this exact update informing of its limited operations.
During past government shutdowns, government services for visa applicants or new international students were delayed or halted entirely. Embassies are typically not fee-funded – including the US embassy in Morocco – meaning they receive federal funding and therefore take the brunt of a shutdown.
Alongside embassies and consulates, international investment is likely to shy away as the dysfunctional economic state becomes increasingly unappealing to international investors.
Washington’s shutdown explained
A federal shutdown is essentially a halting of public services funded by the government. Many services are deemed non-essential, such as National Park services, Department of Housing Development, Smithsonian museums, and cleaning and food staff in federal buildings.
Other services are deemed essential, and must continue even if they are not paid. This includes military personnel, medical and emergency workers, and law enforcement.
The suspension of services is due to a fiscal stalemate between Democrats and Republicans – America’s two primary political parties. Democrats refused to pass any federal renewal bill if it did not include an extension of Affordable Care Act funds, ultimately resulting in a lapse of appropriations.
Republicans are further buckling down on their funding cuts for the State Department and evidently embassies. US President Donald Trump threatened to use the shutdown to further “fire a lot of federal workers,” mirroring his extreme funding cuts and dissolution of federal agencies – an unprecedented campaign of Trump’s administration.
This shutdown further compounds the obstacles and limited resources faced by immigrants or those attempting to obtain a visa.
This is the first federal government shutdown in seven years, with the last one occurring in 2018 under Trump’s first term in office. It lasted 35 days and was the longest shutdown in US history.
Political thought leaders don’t have predictions for how long this current shutdown will last, but the future does not look promising considering the stark political divides in Congress.
