CBP Operations During Shutdown: Impacts on Border Crossings and Arrivals

(U.S.) U.S. border crossings and international airports stayed open during the 2025 federal government shutdown, as frontline staff at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were kept on duty to process arriving travelers and cargo. CBP officers are classified as essential personnel, which meant inspections and admissions continued at ports of entry even as other government services slowed or paused.

People arriving from overseas still cleared passport control, and cargo kept moving, but travelers, airlines, and trucking companies encountered longer lines and slower responses in several locations as support functions thinned and approval backlogs grew.

Core operations and mission continuity

Agency officials maintained that the core mission—screening people and goods—remained intact. CBP continued passenger checks, baggage searches, and cargo inspections at airports and land borders much as before the funding lapse, focusing on security and customs laws.

• International arrivals were processed under standard procedures, though some airports reported increased wait times during peak hours.
• Trade lanes stayed open to prevent backups that would ripple across supply chains.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com indicated the decision to keep frontline operations active aimed to avoid repeat shutdown bottlenecks that strain travelers and businesses.

CBP maintained core screening functions to protect security and keep trade flowing, even as noncritical activities were curtailed.

Where friction appeared: interagency dependencies

The biggest friction appeared where CBP relies on other agencies that had furloughed large parts of their workforce.

• Applications requiring interagency vetting or Security Advisory Opinions moved more slowly, adding minutes or hours to individual cases.
• Some travelers were pushed into secondary inspection because of longer vetting times.
• CBP warned certain administrative programs would slow or pause entirely, including delays to the Border Overflight Exemption program and parts of Visa Waiver Program processing.

These delays created uncertainty for operators who depend on predictable turnaround times and routine approvals to keep schedules on track.

Behind-the-scenes priorities and financial functions

While frontline inspections continued, the shutdown forced staffing choices behind the scenes.

• CBP concentrated personnel on primary security tasks, leaving non-urgent clerical and program functions to wait until funding resumed.
• The agency kept customs revenue collection and tariff enforcement active, describing them as core duties tied to national revenue and trade integrity.
• CBP suspended certain refunds, including drawback claims and protest refunds, queuing them until normal operations returned.

This mix—steady intake of duties and delayed refunds—frustrated some importers who rely on regular cash flow, though it kept statutory functions moving while back-office processing lagged.

Cargo clearance: mostly steady, with selective choke points

Cargo clearance and trade-related inspections largely proceeded as usual, providing relief for shipping and logistics firms. However:

• Shipments requiring approvals from furloughed agencies (environmental, agricultural, or health sign-offs) could stall.
• Delays tended to be selective choke points rather than widespread shutdowns: a perishable shipment delayed at one port, a specialized component held at another, each awaiting a furloughed agency’s sign-off.

This unevenness led to localized disruptions that affected time-sensitive goods more acutely.

Airside effects and downstream impacts

Travelers also experienced knock-on effects beyond passport control.

• Air traffic controllers remained on duty but unpaid, increasing stress and absenteeism in several busy hubs.
• That strain contributed to more flight delays, which compounded delays at arrival gates and in CBP processing.
• Passengers sometimes faced layered delays—first in the air, then at CBP booths—explaining longer overall processing times even when CBP staffing appeared normal.

Public guidance and fee-funded checks

CBP reminded the public that ports of entry and airports remained fully operational throughout the shutdown.

• Visa and passport checks at the border continued because they’re funded by fees, not appropriations, though cases requiring extra security checks moved slower.
• Families, students, and business travelers largely completed their journeys, but those with complex histories or name matches experienced longer waits.

For carriers and operators, CBP advised:

1. Plan for added time.
2. Expect occasional secondary inspections.
3. Monitor updates from local port directors who adjusted schedules to reflect on-the-ground conditions.

For authoritative updates, CBP directed users to its website at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Immigration courts and legal proceedings

Immigration court schedules showed a split:

• Hearings for detained individuals moved ahead.
• Hearings for people not in custody were postponed.

This meant additional uncertainty for families and delays in already long immigration timelines. Lawyers balanced urgent detained dockets with a growing backlog of delayed matters, reflecting the broader federal pattern: keep urgent, security- or liberty-related functions active and pause what can wait.

For authoritative court schedules and information, stakeholders checked the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review pages for citizens and immigration court schedules.

Trade finances and refunds

On the trade side:

• Customs duties continued to flow to the Treasury and tariff enforcement remained active.
• The pause in refunds hit some industries hard—particularly smaller importers who rely on drawback payments to manage thin margins.

Brokers recommended filing documentation as usual and holding proof of timely submissions so refunds could be processed in order once funding returned. This planning reduced surprises but did not eliminate cash-flow problems.

Overall assessment and operational posture

CBP leadership emphasized that keeping border crossings open protects security and keeps the economy moving, even if operations are slower.

• The agency urged travelers and trade participants to build in extra time and check official notices before heading to an airport or port.
• Public guidance stressed that staffing was focused on inspection and admission while non-urgent administrative tasks waited.

As the shutdown continued, this balance held: the system stayed open, passengers entered, and goods crossed, but coordination with furloughed partners created frayed edges.

• Airlines padded schedules.
• Trucking firms adjusted dispatch times.
• Travelers added buffer time to itineraries.

The essential fact behind each line and delay: CBP maintained essential border security and inspection operations, with essential personnel on post, while non-critical pieces slowed. It wasn’t seamless or fast, but it kept the border working—enough to reassure most travelers and keep trade moving while Washington weighed its next steps.