Hiring freeze is real?

So, I've been trying to get a req approved for a crucial role on my team for months now, and it's just hitting wall after wall. First it was 'wait for budget,' then 'wait for performance reviews,' and now it's just... silence. My recruiter contact has gone dark and even internal mobility postings seem to be disappearing faster than they appear. It feels like a de facto hiring freeze, even if they aren't calling it that. My team is already stretched thin, and losing bandwidth on top of this is really starting to impact morale and deliverables. Is anyone else experiencing this? Are projects getting put on hold, or are teams just expected to absorb more work? Just looking for some validation that I'm not the only one feeling this pinch. Curious if this is a company-wide thing or specific to certain divisions. Trying to figure out if this is a temporary slowdown or a more permanent shift in strategy.