Approximately 100,000 employees across the Department of Homeland Security have not been paid for time worked during the 39-day partial government shutdown, according to the department.
Roughly 38% of employees across the 260,000-person department have not received a full paycheck since the shutdown began in February.
“Democrats are shamelessly playing politics with national security and putting a financial strain on DHS workers and their families,” acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “100,000 DHS employees have missed their first full paycheck.
“This amounts to $1 BILLION in unpaid wages each month,” Bis said. “Thanks to the Democrats’ DHS shutdown, these men and women are being forced to work without pay and many cannot pay their rent, buy food or gas or other essentials. The DHS shutdown must end now.”
DHS comprises nearly two dozen agencies and offices, the majority of which are required to continue working without pay during the department shutdown. Senate Democrats have refused to fund the department until the Trump administration and Republicans agree upon reforms that would rein in DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE’s more than 20,000 employees continue to be paid during the shutdown due to the historically high funding that Congress provided the agency separately last summer.
In addition, Customs and Border Protection’s 67,000 employees are being paid, as well as the Secret Service’s 8,000 personnel.
Employees from the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, DHS offices, and others remain unpaid.
HOW MARKWAYNE MULLIN WOULD LEAD ICE DIFFERENTLY THAN KRISTI NOEM
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was officially sworn in as DHS secretary on Tuesday, succeeding former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. Mullin said in a statement that his focus would be on reinstating full funding for the department.
“My first priority is to get the Department funded so the incredible patriots that support our 22 critical agencies receive a paycheck and can continue their critical work of keeping our nation safe,” Mullin said. “DHS is bigger than any political party. It’s time to end the partisan bickering that threatens our national security and put the American people first.”
