SAN YSIDRO, Calif. (KGTV) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are among the millions of Americans having to work without a paycheck amid the government shutdown.
At the San Ysidro Point of Entry, officers see about 60,000 cars total every day. Jorge Llanos is an officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and said they're the first line of defense.
"What that means basically is that officers are making sure working for trade through the cargo facilities, working on the POE's, the ports of entry, making sure all the people are coming across, whether they're U.S. citizens, residents or foreigners, have an ability to come in with the proper documents or the proper status to come in," Llanos said.
But now, officers are going to have to carry out these responsibilities without a paycheck.
The next time they're supposed to get paid is next weekend.
Llanos said there shouldn't be impacts to the public but said things may change if the shutdown goes on for too long with officers possibly opting out of work.
"When things like this happen, it is a slap in the face. It shouldn't happen. We shouldn't be the first ones to feel the brunt," Llanos said.
This isn't the first time U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers dealt with a government shutdown.
Back in 2018, during President Trump's first term, the government shut down for 35 days, leaving officers without a pay.
Llanos said right now, younger officers may face more uncertainty when it comes to paying for necessities like rent and food.
"Groceries weren't that bad in 2018 but they've gone through the roof over the last year," Llanos said. "It is difficult to live in the area. Housing is expensive."
Llanos said officers are bracing themselves for what happens on the federal level.
"The only thing that we can rely on is basically each other," Llanos said. "Hopefully we'll be able to come up with different groups to help out, and unfortunately just dip into our savings accounts."
