House Moves to End DHS Shutdown as 100,000 Employees Work Without Pay
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown is stretching on, and the House is moving toward another attempt to restore funding for the agency as approximately 100,000 DHS employees report to work without getting paid.
On Wednesday, lawmakers narrowly cleared a procedural hurdle for the funding bill by a 211–209 vote, setting up a final vote on the House floor. The measure is largely identical to legislation the chamber passed in January before the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during encounters with federal officers in Minnesota. Those incidents prompted Democrats to demand new limits on immigration enforcement as a condition for restoring funding.
Republicans rejected those demands, arguing the shutdown is undermining national security, particularly critical with the outbreak of the conflict in Iran.
“Anybody who votes to block funding for the homeland—it is shameful,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). “It speaks to a long record of Democrats’ deliberate efforts to undermine America’s safety and the essential operations of DHS.”
Democrats say that the conflict in Iran does not change the need for adjustments in immigration enforcement policy. Even if the legislation passes the House, it’s a longshot in the Senate.
“It’s very easy for them to get all of this funded, simply to agree to our commonsense proposals on ICE and Border Patrol,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “In terms of our negotiations, look, we’re still far apart.”
Secretary Noem Testimony
Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem testified on Capitol Hill in front of both House and Senate Committees. Immigration enforcement, agency oversight, and the funding impasse dominated the hearings.
Secretary Noem told lawmakers that roughly 100,000 DHS employees are currently working without pay.
The secretary also addressed several Democratic demands related to immigration enforcement. She acknowledged the agency’s body camera program requires additional congressional funding and said DHS is open to reviewing aspects of its warrant process.
Workforce Impact
Outside of Washington, the shutdown’s effects are being felt by the DHS workforce. Many DHS personnel missed full or partial paychecks last week, and that’s creating financial strain for frontline staff.
“Especially the newer officers that are not hiring pay bands—they received zero because of their deductions,” said Jovan Petkovic, a TSA officer and local union representative in Phoenix. “A long time ago, working for the federal government meant something.”
Meanwhile, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is calling on Congress to pass legislation to pay all DHS employees on time, even if the shutdown is ongoing.
“These essential workers have already endured a 43-day government shutdown last fall and a four-day shutdown earlier this year and have continued to serve the American people with pride,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “AFGE members are tired of being forced on this roller coaster every time their elected officials fail to do their jobs.”
UPDATE: President Trump announced on Thursday afternoon that he is replacing Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary with Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin.
“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” the president wrote on Truth Social. " The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida."
