Government Shutdown Forces Furloughs at New Mexico Nuclear Labs, Putting National Security at Risk

The federal government’s nuclear security agency has furloughed more than 150 employees in New Mexico as the government shutdown drags into its fourth week, leaving critical operations at Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories struggling to stay on track.

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) confirmed that the furloughed workers are based at field offices in Los Alamos and Albuquerque, where they oversee federal contracts and monitor national security missions. They are part of approximately 1,400 NNSA employees nationwide who have been temporarily sent home without pay.

“These workers are crucial for our national security,” said U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján, a New Mexico Democrat. “Furloughs to NNSA workers at Los Alamos and Sandia could threaten the labs’ ability to deliver the cutting-edge research, technologies, and capabilities that keep our nation safe.”

The furloughs are the latest blow as the shutdown — triggered by a health care standoff in Congress — stretches on with no end in sight. So far, around 500 federal workers in New Mexico have filed for unemployment benefits since the shutdown began on October 1, according to the state’s Department of Workforce Solutions.

Senate Democrats have refused to pass temporary spending bills until Republicans and the Trump administration agree to preserve Affordable Care Act tax credits that help millions of Americans afford health insurance.

At a town hall in Albuquerque, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury told residents she believes both the Trump administration and Congress are digging in their heels. “They are making the decision to not come back and negotiate and reopen the government in the coming weeks,” she said. “Now, like many of you, I am praying for a miracle.”

According to the NNSA, 73 workers at Los Alamos and 81 in Albuquerque have been furloughed, while just seven staffers at each office remain on duty — but unpaid. Stansbury said she believes the furloughs are “retaliatory” against Democratic-leaning states, calling them “just dangerous.”

She and other House members have urged the Trump administration to reverse the decision, warning that it could endanger national security.

Senator Martin Heinrich also condemned the move, saying, “President Trump did not have to furlough 80% of the workers who maintain our nuclear weapons stockpile — he chose to. He is simultaneously risking our national security and actively tanking our economy.”

The impact extends far beyond lab workers. Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández said she’s heard from many federal employees who are too afraid to speak publicly about losing their jobs. One Department of Education worker told her that if her office is eliminated, rural schools across New Mexico will lose critical funding.

Food insecurity is also becoming a major concern. Advocates warn that nearly half a million New Mexicans could lose their SNAP benefits by November if the shutdown continues. “People are scared. They don’t know how they’re going to feed their families,” said Jason Riggs from the Roadrunner Food Bank.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office said it is exploring emergency options to protect food assistance. “Food security is in grave jeopardy,” said spokesperson Michael Coleman.

Senator Heinrich summed up the stakes bluntly: “President Trump and Congressional Republicans chose to shut down the government because they didn’t want to lower people’s health care costs. Now, over 459,000 New Mexicans are living in fear of how they’ll put food on the table. That’s disgusting and unacceptable.”