Particle.news
Download on the App Store
13 ARTICLES
·
6d ago

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Stay Open as Shutdown Enters Third Day

Federal officials say operations will proceed with curtailed National Park Service staffing set by shutdown plans.

A woman photographs the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park during the first day of a partial U.S. government shutdown in New York City, New York, U.S., October 1, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
The entrance to Cabrillo National Monument is shown closed during the first day of a partial U.S. government shutdown, in San Diego, California, U.S., October 1, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
A view of a sign warning that the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is closed, with the U.S. Capitol dome visible in the background, on the first day of a partial government shutdown, in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 1, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
A would-be visitor looks into the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum which is closed, on the first day of a partial U.S. government shutdown, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., October 1, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

Overview

  • The Interior Department said both sites remain open to visitors, crediting President Donald Trump for the decision.
  • Gov. Kathy Hochul refused to use state funds to keep them operating, a reversal of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2013 and 2018 interventions that cost about $65,000 per day.
  • The National Park Service furloughed more than 9,000 employees under its contingency plan, leaving some services limited even as Liberty and Ellis visitor centers were open Thursday.
  • Tourists reported successful visits and ferries continued running in New York Harbor, while other parks and historic sites saw closures, reduced access or suspended services.
  • Hochul blamed Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown’s impacts on New Yorkers, with unions warning that lower-paid contract workers at the sites may not receive back pay.