Fact check: Which government services are affected by the 2025 shutdown, and which remain operational?

Executive summary — Short answer up front: The three source bundles agree that “essential” public-safety and life‑safety functions broadly remain operational during the 2025 funding lapse (air traffic control, law enforcement, military, and the U.S. Postal Service), while many “non‑essential” administrative and discretionary services may be paused or delayed (national parks, certain benefit applications, inspections, and some civil litigation). Coverage differs on details and emphasis: news articles stress immediate public impacts and worker furloughs (Dec 2024–May 2025), while a Justice Department contingency plan lays out specific staffing excepted from furlough (dated in the provided set) ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}.

1. What counts as “essential” — who keeps working and why this matters

All three reporting streams identify air traffic controllers, TSA, law enforcement, and military personnel as continuing to work despite a shutdown because they are required to protect life and property; these workers typically remain on duty but may be unpaid until appropriations resume (articles dated Dec 2024, Mar 2025, May 2025). The Department of Justice contingency material in the set quantifies the approach: DOJ identified a very large share of employees as “excepted” from furlough when necessary to protect life or property, with criminal litigation continuing while some civil work is curtailed ^{[4] [3]}. This functional distinction explains why airports and national security systems operate even as many administrative offices pause.

2. Money that keeps flowing — benefits and the exceptions to watch

The coverage consistently states that retirement and disability benefit payments (Social Security, Medicare) continue to be paid, and that the U.S. Postal Service continues to deliver mail — core entitlements and a self‑funded mail system are treated differently than discretionary programs ^[1]. However, news accounts warn that new applications, in‑person services, and certain SSA field office functions may be delayed, creating real friction for newly eligible people who need timely enrollment or appeals ^{[1] [2]}. Readers should note that while checks go out, access to support services and processing speed can still be substantially impaired.

3. Public health, inspections and social assistance — partial continuation, partial pause

Reporting from the provided set highlights that food inspections, some federal health services, housing assistance, and nutrition programs face cutbacks or slower operations during a lapse in appropriations, with frontline human services often unevenly funded across agencies and programs ^{[2] [1]}. News pieces emphasize community impacts—food banks and local supports become critical for furloughed workers—while the government contingency descriptions show agencies triage activities by statutory authority and funding streams. The practical outcome is a mixed picture: lifesaving public‑health responses mostly continue, but routine oversight and assistance can be interrupted.

4. Parks, permits and parks of daily life — visible closures and public inconvenience

All three news analyses mention that national parks and many public facilities may be closed or placed on reduced operations when staffing and safety cannot be assured, producing highly visible signs of a shutdown that affect tourism and local economies ^{[1] [3]}. These closures are often the most immediate public evidence of a funding lapse, though they are discretionary from a federal budget perspective. The reporting underscores how closures cascade into lost revenue and local economic strain, even when core safety functions are preserved.

5. Courts, litigation and the Justice Department’s priorities — criminal work kept moving

The DOJ contingency material and news summaries indicate criminal prosecutions and immediate public‑safety litigation are prioritized and continue, while civil litigation and administrative enforcement activities may be delayed or scaled back ^{[4] [3]}. The contingency plan cited in the set reports a high percentage of DOJ employees categorized as excepted when their work is tied to life‑safety or to non‑appropriated funding sources. That allocation produces a system where the criminal justice pipeline keeps functioning, but civil court calendars and regulatory cases may slip, creating backlog pressures when funding resumes.

6. What the differing emphases tell us — media vs agency framing

Comparing the dates and emphases shows news outlets (Dec 2024–May 2025) center immediate public impacts, worker hardship, and visible closures, while the agency contingency description provides operational thresholds and personnel percentages that rationalize continuity ^{[2] [3] [1] [4]}. The journalism pieces warn citizens about service interruptions and practical coping resources; the DOJ plan explains legal and personnel rules that determine what stays open. Both framings are factual and complementary: one describes the public experience, the other explains the administrative logic behind it.

7. Bottom line and what to watch next

If a 2025 funding lapse occurs, expect core life‑safety functions and entitlement payments to continue, with administrative, discretionary, and customer‑facing services likely to slow or stop—notably national parks, certain inspections, new benefit processing, and some civil government activity ^{[1] [2] [4]}. Monitor both news updates for immediate impacts and any agency contingency plans or guidance for precise lists of excepted personnel and services; agencies may issue differing operational details that materially affect service availability in specific domains ^{[3] [4]}.