Governor, resident commissioner warn about federal shutdown’s effects in PR

“The immediate effect is that federal employees will not be paid unless they are classified as essential,” Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said. “Historically, they are paid retroactively, but the important thing is how long this shutdown will last.”

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said Wednesday that, while essential services such as Social Security and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are continuing to operate, other federal agencies are already experiencing disruptions due to the U.S. government shutdown.

The federal government shut down on Wednesday morning at 12:01 a.m. ET, amid a bitter spending deadlock between President Donald Trump and Democrats in Congress.

“El Morro and other federal facilities are closed. Agencies like Housing and Urban Development and the Department of the Interior have employees who are not working,” the governor said in response to questions from the press. “The immediate effect is that federal employees will not be paid unless they are classified as essential. Historically, they are paid retroactively, but the important thing is how long this shutdown will last.”

She added that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development expedited processes before midnight “so that reconstruction funds and permits for municipalities and the Puerto Rico government would not be held up.” She also indicated that the local Department of Labor and Human Resources “is ready” to assist affected federal employees if necessary.

Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera, meanwhile, warned in a written statement that “Puerto Ricans are among those most affected by a government shutdown.”

“They depend on limited funds for SNAP food assistance; power grid maintenance and recovery funds are delayed; our courts are experiencing backlogs; and essential services that support our communities are disrupted,” he said.

“The impact here at home is real,” the resident commissioner added. “My commitment is to ensure that Puerto Ricans receive timely information, to explain how these decisions affect us on the island, and to provide clear updates at every stage of the process.”

A day earlier, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, stated that the operations of the federal prosecutor’s office on the island would continue uninterrupted despite the lack of congressional budget appropriations.

“The Department of Justice, including the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, comprises components that have a wide range of national security, public safety, criminal justice, and other responsibilities,” Muldrow said in a written statement.

The official stressed that, despite the delay in funding, the public safety mission in Puerto Rico would continue without interruption.

“The dedicated and hardworking staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all our partner federal law enforcement agencies will remain steadfast and unwavering,” Muldrow said.