BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — More than a week into the federal government shutdown, Kern County residents are experiencing the direct impact as key federal offices remain closed to the public.
The IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center on Coffee Road is currently shuttered, greeting callers with an automated message: "Due to a lapse in appropriations, this office is closed."
The closure comes as President Donald Trump confirmed to ABC News that the process of laying off federal workers began Friday.
I visited three federal offices in Bakersfield and found mixed results. In addition to the IRS office, the USDA Service Center on California Avenue is also closed. However, the Social Security Administration building on Office Park Drive remains open.
It remains unclear whether any layoffs have affected federal workers in Kern County.
Barbara Williamson was headed to the IRS office on Coffee Road with a friend, only to discover it was closed.
"It's frustrating, because inconveniencing – being inconvenienced by anything that the government is supposed be allowing you to have access to is horrible," Williamson said.
The shutdown's effects extend beyond office closures. National parks are either closed or operating with limited staffing. According to the National Parks Service website, the visitor center and restrooms at the Cesar Chavez National Monument are closed.
A naturalization ceremony scheduled to take place at the monument in Keene on Friday did not occur, according to Andres Chavez with the Cesar Chavez Foundation.
Several other people at the IRS office on Coffee Road, who declined to appear on camera, expressed shock at finding the office closed.
The timeline for reopening these offices remains uncertain as the federal government shutdown continues. The Senate still needs 60 votes in favor of a continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government while lawmakers work out the remaining budget details.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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