American Samoa's governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga has ordered the shutdown of all non-essential local government operations which are federally funded.
Lolo Matalasi Moliga Photo: RNZI / Monica Miller
Lolo made the order just before a US government shutdown which has now entered its second day.
Government workers in American Samoa funded exclusively by the federal government have been ordered to stay home.
Lolo said the order's necessary because of the impact on his government's finances.
US senators are attempting to agree on a bill to fund the government, but Democrats and Republicans have so far largely traded blame for the shutdown.
Democrats want President Donald Trump to negotiate over immigration as part of a budget deal, but Republicans say no deal is possible while government services are closed.
The American Samoa governor has exempted the LBJ Medical Center, American Samoa Community College, Education Department and all first responders from shutting down.
