The US Department of Homeland Security sign is seen on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Washington DC on 5 January 2023. Photograph: Anadolu/Anadolu AgencyView image in fullscreenThe US Department of Homeland Security sign is seen on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Washington DC on 5 January 2023. Photograph: Anadolu/Anadolu AgencyTrump issues order declaring all DHS staff get paid amid partial shutdownUS president issues executive order as longest partial government shutdown in US history enters 49th day
Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday that declares all Department of Homeland Security employees will receive pay and benefits during the agency’s partial shutdown.The “Liberating the Department of Homeland Security From the Democrat-Caused Shutdown” memo is similar to Trump’s executive order from last week which called for issuing pay to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents during the shutdown.
In the order, Trump directed the homeland security secretary, Markwayne Mullin, to “use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to the functions of DHS” to pay “each and every employee of DHS”.
“This callous treatment of DHS employees must end in order to ensure that America is not susceptible to security threats and maintains readiness to respond to emergencies,” reads the order.
The partial shutdown, now in its 49th day, is the longest in US history.
Democrats have refused to back a proposed funding bill for the DHS that would give money to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without imposing new guardrails on the federal agents’ immigration operations, while House Republicans rejected a compromise last week that would have funded DHS while excluding funds for ICE and other offices focused on immigration enforcement.
While House and Senate Republicans appeared to have reached a deal this week, but House Republicans took no action to pass the legislation when they convened on Thursday. It is unclear when they will take up the bill.
Trump first announced his intention to pay DHS workers on Thursday.
“Their families have suffered far too long,” Trump said of DHS workers in a social media post. “Help is on the way for our Brave and Patriotic Public Servants who have continued to work hard, and do their part to protect and defend our Country.”
The vast majority of DHS employees have reported to work during the shutdown, but many thousands have gone without pay. As more TSA agents called out from work, there was increasing frustration for air travelers confronted by long waits at some airport security lines. Those bottlenecks appeared to be clearing this week as agents began receiving back pay after Trump signed an executive order.
About 10,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) workers are being paid because their wages come out of the non-lapsing Disaster Relief Fund. At least 4,000 Fema employees are furloughed or currently working without pay.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
