President Trump issued a memorandum on Friday directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay all employees, including those without paychecks for nearly two months. The directive targets DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to use funds with a "reasonable and logical nexus" to DHS functions. Trump wrote in the memo that the shutdown creates an "emergency situation compromising the Nation's security," citing risks to public safety and emergency response.
More than 35,000 DHS employees, including civilian Coast Guard staff and Federal Emergency Management Agency workers, have missed paychecks due to the shutdown. Other DHS groups, including Secret Service agents and active-duty Coast Guard personnel, received payments through earlier funding measures. Employees at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection got pay via funds from last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, avoiding the current funding gap.
The shutdown began in mid-February over a dispute on immigration enforcement, with congressional Democrats opposing funding for ICE and CBP without policy changes. Trump blamed Democrats in his memo, stating their stance left DHS workers "struggling to make ends meet." Senate Democrats and Republicans passed a bill to fund most of DHS, excluding ICE and parts of CBP, as a potential resolution path, and the Senate passed that bill again on Thursday.
Trump signed a similar memo last week directing pay for TSA workers. Their absences had led to significant airport delays. The new directive extends that approach to all DHS staff, aiming to maintain operations like airport security and coast guard activities. House Republicans plan to fund the remaining DHS parts through the Senate's reconciliation process, bypassing the need for 60 Senate votes.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced plans to advance the Senate's DHS funding bill, with the House set to act the week of April 13. Republicans aim to fund ICE and CBP separately, altering how Congress handles the impasse. This shift could stabilize DHS operations, giving workers immediate relief from the shutdown's effects.
President Trump issued a memorandum on Friday directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay all employees, including those without paychecks for nearly two months. The directive targets DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to use funds with a "reasonable and logical nexus" to DHS functions. Trump wrote in the memo that the shutdown creates an "emergency situation compromising the Nation's security," citing risks to public safety and emergency response.
More than 35,000 DHS employees, such as civilian Coast Guard staff and Federal Emergency Management Agency workers, have missed paychecks due to the shutdown. Other DHS groups, including Secret Service agents and active-duty Coast Guard personnel, received payments through earlier funding measures. Employees at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection got pay via funds from last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, avoiding the current funding gap.
The shutdown began in mid-February over a dispute on immigration enforcement, with congressional Democrats opposing funding for ICE and CBP without policy changes. Trump blamed Democrats in his memo, stating their stance left DHS workers "struggling to make ends meet." Senate Democrats and Republicans passed a bill to fund most of DHS, excluding ICE and parts of CBP, as a potential resolution path.
Trump signed a similar memo last week to pay Transportation Security Administration officers, who had caused airport delays from absences. The new directive extends that approach to all DHS staff, aiming to maintain operations like airport security and coast guard activities. House Republicans plan to fund the remaining DHS parts through the Senate's reconciliation process, bypassing the need for 60 Senate votes.
DHS employees face financial strain, with some reporting difficulties in paying bills after weeks without income. The memo ensures that "each and every employee" receives back pay once funding resumes, directly supporting families reliant on these salaries. This action prevents potential furloughs that could disrupt daily security functions affecting millions of travelers and residents.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced plans to advance the Senate's DHS funding bill, with the House set to act the week of April 13. Republicans aim to fund ICE and CBP separately, altering how Congress handles the impasse. This shift could stabilize DHS operations, giving workers immediate relief from the shutdown's effects.
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The sources also report that the shutdown began Feb. 14, not mid-February.