The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) is urging Congress to pass a bipartisan measure and enter “good-faith negotiations” to end a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown that the group says has stretched beyond six weeks, forcing more than 100,000 DHS employees to keep working without pay.
- Who’s affected: NARFE said over 100,000 DHS employees have been required to continue working during the shutdown without receiving pay.
- How long it’s lasted: NARFE described the DHS shutdown as more than six weeks long.
- What NARFE wants: NARFE called on Congress to pass a bipartisan bill and pursue good-faith negotiations on homeland security to reopen DHS.
- Pay status: NARFE warned that employees are working without pay during the shutdown, underscoring the immediate financial strain on federal workers and families.
- Back pay: While NARFE’s statement focuses on ending the shutdown, federal shutdowns typically raise questions about back pay for furloughed employees and pay delays for those required to work; NARFE’s message emphasizes ending the lapse quickly to limit harm to the workforce.
- Date of NARFE action: NARFE published its call on March 31, 2026, according to the organization’s post.
NARFE’s statement comes as DHS operations remain constrained by the funding lapse, with many employees continuing to report as “excepted” personnel—those required to work to protect life and property—despite missing paychecks. NARFE framed the situation as a workforce and mission readiness issue, arguing that extended pay disruptions weaken employee morale and create retention risks for critical public safety and national security roles.
For federal employees and service members who interact with DHS—through travel security, immigration services, emergency management, and other functions—the shutdown can also create downstream impacts, including slower processing and reduced administrative capacity. NARFE’s message to lawmakers centers on restoring regular appropriations and avoiding prolonged uncertainty for employees who cannot pause their duties.
Employees seeking to understand shutdown-related pay rules and common misconceptions may find additional background at FedBrief.org (policy explainers): https://fedbrief.org/
Source Attribution: NARFE News, “NARFE urges passage of bipartisan bill, good-faith negotiations on homeland security to end DHS shutdown” (March 31, 2026), https://www.narfe.org/blog/2026/03/31/narfe-urges-passage-of-bipartisan-bill-good-faith-negotiations-on-homeland-security-to-end-dhs-shutdown-2/