Security at Risk

Even as the resources diminish and work pauses, the security risks don’t stop.

“A lack of funds to repair armored vehicles means we are using soft-skinned (e.g., non-armored) cars at a post that is rated critical for terrorism.”

“Critical border security work is not being accomplished given the embassy’s inability to backfill a consular role. Issuing visas is a vital screening tool for those wishing to enter the United States.”

“America is less safe because of the shutdown. Our competitors take every shutdown as an opportunity to demonstrate the lack of American resolve and reliability.”

“I cannot effectively keep up with IT requirements. We can’t fix things that break, regular maintenance can’t be done, and we can’t buy replacements. Our society and our government depend on computers and the internet. The Department of State and the U.S. are becoming more vulnerable to cyber-attack by the day.”

“The U.S. federal government is facing a sharp increase in cyberattacks coinciding with the shutdown beginning October 1. Attackers are exploiting the financial stress and uncertainty of furloughed or unpaid government workers [and mounting more attacks].”

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Americans Left Waiting

U.S. embassies continue to serve, but limited resources mean slower help for U.S. citizens abroad in need.

“We can’t coordinate with foreign governments on crisis preparedness or assist Americans returning home who need emergency loans for plane tickets.”

“As funding dries up, we may lose transportation to visit U.S. citizens in prison or hold off-site passport services for those far from our embassies.”

“We can’t have external meetings, so we can’t check on overdue airport runway repairs that impact hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizen tourists.”

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Losing Ground

The more constrained our diplomats are by furloughs and lack of resources, the more the vacuum opens for eager adversaries to fill.

“My department works on behalf of U.S. farmers, ranchers, and fisheries no matter which party is in power. We need Congress to pass a budget so that we can continue our work promoting American prosperity by ensuring access to overseas markets.”

“We help the farmers, small businesses, and everyday American survive and thrive in a competitive world. Trade shows with hundreds of American companies vying for opportunities to sell to global buyers are happening, and we aren’t able to support these companies with matchmaking, small business-tailored support, and other key services. We won’t hear their challenges with burdensome non-tariff trade barriers, or about the Chinese companies that are stealing their tech and ideas. When shutdowns happen, small and medium American companies lose out.”

“Our work directly benefits U.S. exporters and producers who are already struggling with uncertainty and loss of markets. With U.S. [staff] sidelined, that is one less advocate on their side in overseas markets that are key to their success.”

“I am … serving in a country with a recent history of civil war and gross human rights violations. The U.S. is not at the table at multilateral discussions with our like-minded and international organizations. This country also has a strong Chinese presence/influence, and we are ceding ground to them daily by not being present and active.”

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Training Interrupted

With training programs on hold, a generation of diplomats will arrive at posts unprepared.

“I am a consular officer assigned to one of our critical needs posts next year. I am … assigned to learn the local language. Because I am furloughed, my language training has not yet started and the longer it goes on, the more difficult it will be for me to get to the proficiency I need to accurately interview people about their plans to visit the U.S. and detect fraud.”

“Overseas training in high-level Mandarin Chinese is required for positions that are currently deemed excepted. The instructors and the course have been prepaid, but the students are forbidden from studying, even without pay! Strong language skills are critical in engaging with any foreign country, but especially so in China. How are we supposed to work with our largest competitor if we aren’t equipped to communicate?”

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Operational Paralysis

When vital functions stop, inefficiency compounds. Projects stall, costs grow, and the government spends more fixing what neglect has broken.

“We have almost no support staff in our office, so anything related to budget, finance, or travel is on hold. With fewer people to handle the work that can still get done, even more piles up.”

“Instead of advancing the president’s priorities, my work has shifted to minimizing legal risk—making sure we’re not sued or fined for not paying local staff or utilities. We’re negotiating with local utility companies just to keep the heat on.”

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Work Without Pay

Behind every unpaid paycheck is a person juggling financial stress and family duty. The emotional toll of the shutdown limbo is eroding a workforce already stretched thin.

“Despite the lapse, my embassy team continues to work long hours for the American people. We are supporting trade negotiations, upcoming official travel to my region, stopping illegal transfers of Iranian and Russian oil, fighting cyber scams that victimize Americans, and always prioritizing aid for American citizens who are ill, injured, become victims of crime, or even get arrested. We are doing this without pay and under threat of never receiving back pay.”

“We keep working to protect [our country], reunite families, and facilitate travel to stimulate the U.S. economy even during a shutdown. Our day-to-day work has not changed, but the stress of a lack of paycheck, the burnout, and the systemic instability and fear have taken a serious toll.”

“We are working without pay, without our families, in challenging, dangerous places to further U.S. interests. There is no part of this that is okay, and it is definitely making me rethink continuing in this career.”

“I am [posted] in the Middle East. We had an embassy vehicle break down outside town while returning from supporting [a high-level VIP] visit and were told that we would have to pay personally out of pocket to tow it back to the embassy.”