While millions of Americans face an uncertain future due to the halt of federal aid towards nutrition, energy and education programs, President Trump has continued to find the funds for our law enforcement officials like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and military troops without congressional approval. In this month of shutdown, our president has also started construction on the White House and ridiculed “No Kings Day” protests. Just this week, a Republican-led House committee proposed an investigation into Biden’s presidency while demands to release the Epstein files have gone unanswered.

These issues may seem distant from the lives of college students, where many of our concerns are towards the next assignment or our next exam. However, if you are a student who relies on federal aid programs accessed through Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), has family members working government jobs or is simply just paying for health insurance, there is an atmosphere of financial uncertainty that surrounds us all.

Families that rely on government assistance for basic needs are most affected by the shutdown. Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports roughly 41 million Americans, could come to a stop this month due to a lack of funds. Other assistance at risk includes Head Start, which is a childcare and early-education program that serves over 700,000 families, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps families heat their homes. Without immediate response from our government, those already struggling could be pushed further into poverty.

Throughout this unpredictable time, I have come across both students, professors and local organizations that have expressed concern about these issues. For those who are privileged enough not to rely on these programs, I would keep a watchful eye on our lawmakers. If the lives of millions of Americans do not matter when the government shuts down, whose do?