The U.S. Justice Department is asking federal courts nationwide to pause proceedings in its cases, saying the government shutdown has restricted the ability of lawyers to perform their duties, including meeting court-ordered deadlines and communicating with attorneys across agencies.

Justice Department lawyers are using the same language in their requests that federal judges delay action until federal funding has been restored. The shutdown began Dec. 21 in a dispute about funding for the Trump administration’s border wall, and there’s no end in sight.