How the 2025 U.S. Government Shutdown Is Affecting Immigration — A Lehigh Valley Guide
As of October 5, 2025, the federal government is in a shutdown that began at 12:01 a.m. on October 1 after Congress failed to pass funding for FY 2026. Essential services continue, but many civil functions are curtailed, and that mix can be confusing for families and employers across Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and the wider Lehigh Valley. Here’s a clear, research-backed look at what’s open, what’s paused, and what that means for you.
USCIS (Immigration Benefits) — Mostly Open in the Lehigh Valley and Nationwide
The core good news: most U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) operations are funded by filing fees, not annual appropriations. Because of that fee funding, USCIS continues to accept and adjudicate applications and will generally keep interviews and biometrics appointments on the calendar. In short: if you live in Lehigh County or Northampton County and you have a USCIS appointment notice, plan to attend unless you receive an official closure notice for your specific office.
But E-Verify Is Down (Important for Local Hiring)
There is one big USCIS-administered exception: E-Verify is temporarily unavailable due to the lapse in DHS appropriations. If you’re a Lehigh Valley employer (for example, onboarding workers in manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, or at local campuses), you won’t be able to create new E-Verify cases right now. DHS has acknowledged the outage; employers should watch for DHS instructions on next steps and timelines once service resumes. Do not take adverse action against an employee because you can’t run E-Verify during the outage.
Immigration Courts (EOIR) — Detained Cases Proceed; Non-Detained Likely Reset
Immigration courts are part of the Department of Justice. Under DOJ’s contingency plan, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) continues hearing cases for detained respondents as an excepted activity. By contrast, non-detained cases are typically reset for dates after funding is restored. Practically, that means detained-docket hearings move forward, while many non-detained hearings—such as those commonly scheduled for residents of the Lehigh Valley in the Philadelphia immigration court—are expected to be postponed with new notices to follow. If you have counsel, stay in close contact; if you’re pro se, monitor your case portal and mail for rescheduling.
Department of Labor (PERM, LCAs, Prevailing Wages) — Processing Halted
For Lehigh Valley employers sponsoring H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, PERM, or seasonal H-2A/H-2B workers, the Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) does not process prevailing wage requests, LCAs, or PERM applications during a shutdown, and the agency warns of growing delays the longer a lapse continues. This also affects the FLAG online system. If your hiring timeline depends on an LCA or a certified PERM, build in contingency time—there’s no way to push DOL filings through until appropriations return.
Department of State (Passports & Visas) — Generally Continuing
Consular operations are continuing during the funding lapse because they are primarily fee-funded, though some domestic support functions are pared back and localized disruptions can occur. For Lehigh Valley families expecting a passport for travel or immigrant visa processing through the National Visa Center and a U.S. consulate abroad, plan for your appointments to proceed unless your embassy or consulate posts a specific notice. Always confirm your post’s latest updates before traveling.
DHS Enforcement (ICE/CBP) and SEVP (F-1/M-1/J-1) — Continuing
During a lapse in funding, DHS continues “excepted” activities, including law enforcement. Practically, ICE and CBP operations remain active. Meanwhile, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the SEVIS system are also fee-funded and continue to operate, so Designated School Officials (DSOs) can keep issuing and updating I-20 records for F-1 students at our local universities and colleges.
What This Means for You in the Lehigh Valley
For families and individuals: if you have a USCIS biometrics or interview notice—whether you live in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, or nearby—treat it as active unless you receive an explicit cancellation from USCIS. If your case is in immigration court and you are not detained, don’t assume your hearing is happening; many non-detained hearings will be reset after the shutdown. If you’re detained or have a loved one detained, hearings are still proceeding, and deadlines remain critical.
For employers: hiring that relies on E-Verify will experience a temporary interruption in case creation while the system is offline. On the sponsorship side, no LCAs, prevailing wages, or PERM filings can move at DOL; expect downstream knock-on effects even after funding returns due to backlogs. Time-sensitive start dates for H-1B, E-3, or H-2 programs should be reevaluated, and you may need to adjust onboarding plans across the Lehigh Valley’s manufacturing, healthcare, education, and logistics sectors.
Action Steps We Recommend
Keep every appointment you’re given with USCIS unless you receive an official closure or reschedule notice. Missed appointments can cascade into months of delay.
If your case is at EOIR, check your case status frequently. If you’re non-detained, anticipate a new hearing notice; if you’re detained, assume your hearing is still on and consult counsel immediately about filings and evidence.
Employers: document your onboarding steps while E-Verify is unavailable, retain I-9s timely, and watch for DHS guidance once E-Verify comes back online. For sponsorship cases, use the downtime to gather support letters, experience evidence, and job-duty detail so filings can go out the door as soon as OFLC reopens.
For consular cases: reconfirm your post’s status shortly before travel; most visa and passport services are continuing but may experience staffing-related slowdowns.
At Lehigh Valley Immigration Law in Allentown, we’re guiding families, students, and employers through this shutdown with tailored strategies—protecting hearing dates where they remain active, preparing filings that can launch the moment DOL reopens, and keeping clients informed as agency guidance evolves. If you need help understanding how these changes affect your USCIS filing, your Philadelphia immigration court case, your student status, or your company’s hiring plans in the Lehigh Valley, we’re here to help.
This article reflects agency status as of October 5, 2025, and will be updated as conditions change.