The Department of Homeland Security shutdown hit day 73 this week — the longest DHS funding lapse on record — and pressure is rising on lawmakers as the agency’s remaining pay authority is expected to expire soon, potentially triggering missed paychecks for thousands of employees, according to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE).
- Shutdown status: The DHS shutdown reached day 73 on April 28, 2026, setting a new length record, NARFE reported.
- Pay so far: DHS employees have continued receiving pay to date through a combination of a “rainy-day” fund and executive-order backpay authorities, according to NARFE.
- What’s changing: The authority preventing missed paychecks is expected to run out soon, increasing urgency for Congress and the White House to resolve DHS appropriations, NARFE said.
- Workforce impacts: A lapse in pay authority could mean unpaid work, delayed pay, or furloughs, depending on employee status and mission requirements during a shutdown, NARFE noted.
- Backpay: Federal shutdown backpay is typically governed by the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which provides for backpay once appropriations are enacted; however, timing can still mean missed paydays in the near term, as described by NARFE. (See FedBrief’s shutdown explainer: https://fedbrief.org/)
DHS has remained open for critical operations during the funding lapse, but the current situation is unusual because employees have not yet experienced the immediate paycheck disruptions seen in many past shutdowns. NARFE attributed that to temporary funding and administrative steps that have allowed payroll to continue despite the absence of enacted appropriations.
That buffer is now nearing its limit. NARFE reported that, absent congressional action, DHS could soon lose the legal ability to continue issuing paychecks. If that happens, employees could face an abrupt shift from “shutdown but paid” to “shutdown with missed pay,” even if they are required to report for duty as “excepted” personnel.
For DHS employees and families, the most immediate concern is cash flow: missed pay can affect rent or mortgage payments, childcare, credit obligations, and other recurring bills. Employees should monitor official DHS and component guidance for payroll and timekeeping instructions if pay authority lapses, and track any changes to leave, travel, and telework rules issued during the shutdown period.
NARFE urged swift action to end the shutdown and restore full-year DHS funding, warning that the approaching pay deadline is likely to intensify negotiations.
Source: NARFE News (April 28, 2026), “Pressure to End DHS Shutdown Ramps Up as Pay Authority Nears Expiration,” https://www.narfe.org/blog/2026/04/28/pressure-to-end-dhs-shutdown-ramps-up/