Federal employee unions and advocacy organizations are calling on Congress and the White House to end the partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), warning that tens of thousands of DHS employees are being forced to work without pay as the lapse in funding drags on. The groups say the shutdown is creating immediate financial strain for frontline workers and increasing operational risk across DHS components, according to reporting by Federal News Network.
- Who is affected: DHS employees across multiple components, including personnel designated “excepted” who must continue working during a shutdown, according to Federal News Network.
- Pay status: Many employees are working without pay during the funding lapse; others are furloughed, depending on their duties and shutdown plans, Federal News Network reported.
- What unions are demanding: Federal employee unions and allied organizations are urging policymakers to reopen DHS and restore pay, citing mounting hardship for employees and their families, according to Federal News Network.
- Financial strain: The groups highlighted growing concerns about workers’ ability to cover rent/mortgages, utilities, childcare, and other bills as missed paychecks accumulate, Federal News Network reported.
- Back pay: Under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, federal employees furloughed or required to work during a shutdown are generally entitled to back pay once appropriations are enacted, as outlined in prior federal shutdown guidance referenced by Federal News Network.
- Pressure on policymakers: The unions and organizations are intensifying public pressure on lawmakers and the administration to reach a funding deal and end the DHS lapse, Federal News Network reported.
The shutdown fight comes as federal unions argue that DHS’s workforce—ranging from security and emergency management to immigration services and cybersecurity—cannot be treated as a stopgap for political gridlock. Federal News Network reported that advocates are emphasizing the contradiction of requiring employees to report to duty while withholding pay, and they are urging swift action to prevent deeper household financial damage and employee attrition.
For employees trying to plan around missed paychecks, the key distinction is whether you are excepted (required to work) or furloughed (placed in non-duty status). In either case, unions are pointing to the 2019 law guaranteeing back pay after funding is restored—but back pay does not prevent near-term cash-flow crises. For shutdown resources and practical guidance, employees may consult FedInfo’s federal pay and benefits tools: https://fedinfo.org/.
Source: Federal News Network, “Federal employee unions, 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/