Federal employee unions and advocacy organizations are urging Congress and the White House to end the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, warning that tens of thousands of workers are going without pay as the lapse in appropriations drags on. The groups say the disruption is hitting frontline personnel and their families hardest, with many employees either working as “excepted” staff without pay or furloughed entirely.
- What’s happening: DHS remains in a lapse in appropriations, leaving many employees unpaid while the shutdown continues, according to Federal News Network (FNN).
- Who’s affected: Tens of thousands of DHS employees are impacted, including those required to keep working as “excepted” workers and those placed on furlough, FNN reported.
- What unions want: Federal employee unions and outside organizations are calling for lawmakers to pass funding to reopen DHS and end the pay disruption, per FNN.
- Pay status: Workers affected by the shutdown are missing paychecks during the lapse, with back pay expected only after funding is restored, consistent with shutdown procedures referenced by FNN.
- Financial strain: The organizations cited by FNN said the shutdown is causing significant financial stress for employees and families, particularly those living paycheck to paycheck.
- Broader workforce impacts: The groups warned that prolonged shutdown conditions can undermine morale, retention, and mission delivery across DHS components, according to FNN.
The DHS shutdown is part of a broader federal funding breakdown, but DHS employees face distinct operational pressures because many roles are tied to national security, border operations, transportation security, disaster response, and other functions that continue even when appropriations lapse. Under shutdown rules, “excepted” employees generally must report to work but do not receive pay until funding is enacted; furloughed employees are placed in a non-duty, non-pay status.
For federal workers, the immediate issue is cash flow: missed pay can quickly cascade into late fees, credit impacts, and difficulty covering rent, childcare, and other essentials. Employees may also need to track their duty status carefully (excepted vs. furloughed) and monitor agency guidance on timekeeping and leave during the shutdown. Workers looking to estimate the effect of missed pay and eventual catch-up checks can use pay and leave resources such as FedInfo’s federal pay tools (limited cross-link): https://fedinfo.org/
Source Attribution: Federal News Network, “Federal employee unions and organizations call for an end to DHS shutdown,” March 2026. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-shutdown/2026/03/federal-employee-unions-organizations-call-for-an-end-to-dhs-shutdown/