Overview
- U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued an injunction that bars the Trump administration from further firing federal employees during the shutdown, rendering recent layoff notices temporarily invalid until a main ruling.
- Flight disruptions have surged, with FlightAware reporting 6,826 delays and 454 cancellations Friday, 5,425 delays and 175 cancellations Saturday, and 8,769 delays and 193 cancellations Sunday.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned flights may not be on time and said unpaid air traffic controllers are taking side jobs or calling in sick, as a record 22 staffing triggers were logged over the weekend.
- The FAA’s long-running shortfall of roughly 3,500 controllers has magnified the impact of the shutdown, which Duffy said now accounts for more than half of delays since October 1.
- The Congressional Budget Office estimates permanent economic losses of about $7 billion after four weeks, potentially rising to around $14 billion if the shutdown lasts longer.