Trump Directs DHS Back Pay Amid Shutdown

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on April 4 directing the Department of Homeland Security to compensate all its employees during the ongoing partial government shutdown, using funds redirected from a previous congressional appropriation. The order aims to provide back pay and benefits to tens of thousands of workers who have gone without salaries since the funding lapse began on February 14, affecting essential operations across agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard's civilian staff, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The shutdown stems from a congressional impasse over funding for the remainder of the fiscal year, particularly related to immigration enforcement and border security priorities. Lawmakers passed conflicting bills in late March, but negotiations stalled as the Senate and House recessed for Easter and Passover. Nearly 92 percent of the department's 272,000 employees have continued working without pay, though the exact number receiving compensation remains unclear. Earlier, on March 27, Trump issued a similar directive specifically for about 61,000 Transportation Security Administration...