Send us your tired, your poor. But not today.
Today the Statue of Liberty is closed, thanks to a US federal government shutdown that has closed tourist sites across the nation.
National parks, museums, federal buildings and services are to be closed from today after Congress failed to agree to a budget, and 700,000 federal workers have been sent home without pay.
Institutions affected include the Statute of Liberty and Yosemite National Parks, the Smithsonian Institute’s museums and galleries, and the National Zoo in Washington.
Both day and overnight visitors to Yosemite have been asked to leave.
The shutdown should have little affect on travel beyond the closed sites.
Flights should not be affected as air traffic control and those responsible for national security operations will continue to work.
Green Card applications will continue to be processed, but passport and visa applications may be affected.
The shutdown, the second in 17 years, was prompted after Republicans refused last night to authorize any more spending unless Congress delays President Barack Obama’s health reforms for at least a year.
