U.S. Border Patrol officer stands guard as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) draw hundreds to the ICE headquarters in south Portland, Oregon on Sept. 28, 2025. REUTERS/John Rudoff
The union representing the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol complained Tuesday that it could lose funding amid a looming government shutdown.
"On behalf of the men and women patrolling and securing our borders, we strongly support the bipartisan House-passed Continuing Resolution (CR) and urge the Senate to immediately pass and send it to President Trump for his signature," National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez told Fox News. The union represents about 18,000 agents.
"A government shutdown means we go without mission-critical funding for patrol vehicles, roads, radios, infrastructure and agent pay," Perez said.
"What our agents do every day — ensure the safety of the American people and the sovereignty of our great country — is not a game, it’s life and death. We hope our Democrat-elected leaders in Congress will stop playing political games and fund our government."
Republicans have the majority, including the Senate, House of Representatives and the executive office. Some are on vacation with the shutdown just hours away.
Democrats have argued that Republicans are lying to Americans by claiming that Democrats are the ones delaying the push to avert a government shutdown, using the talking point that Democrats want to fund health care for undocumented immigrants.
Democratic leaders have argued that they want to address the Affordable Care Act before time runs out and healthcare premiums rise.
The shutdown — expected to happen at midnight Tuesday — could pause key government services and furlough thousands of government workers.
This move could also be an opportunity for Trump to finish the work that DOGE started.
And in a memo from the White House, the Trump administration this week outlined reduction-in-force plans in the event of a government shutdown, plans that signal mass firings could come. It's unclear who might be lose their jobs; however, multiple White House aids report that positions that do not align with Trump's agenda would likely be targeted.