Customs and Border Protection to spend $7.5 million on night vision goggles as 750,000 federal employees go unpaid

Source: The Independent

Thursday 02 October 2025 20:55 BST


As the U.S. government shuts down for the first time since 2018, at least 750,000 federal workers have already been furloughed without pay. Those deemed “essential,” such as members of the military, will remain on the job but won’t collect their checks until the shutdown ends – whenever that may be.

Some will be forced to dip into personal savings, take out loans, or rely on food banks during the disruption, which was triggered by a budget dispute between congressional Democrats and Republicans, with the latter presently in control of all three branches of government. At the same time, President Donald Trump is threatening mass firings across the entire federal apparatus, adding extra uncertainty to what is already a stressful time.

However, on Wednesday, the same day hundreds of thousands of federal workers were summarily sent home, U.S. Customs and Border Protection quietly announced it would be outfitting its controversial Special Operations Group with 100 pairs of advanced night-vision goggles costing $7.5 million, or $75,000 each.

The no-bid contract was awarded to L3 Harris Technologies – which is overhauling the 747-400 plane “gifted” to Trump by the royal family of Qatar, and has been tasked with constructing Trump’s so-called Golden Dome missile defense shield – according to federal procurement documents, reviewed by The Independent.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/cbp-night-vision-goggles-government-shutdown-b2838297.html