DHS Orders Employees Back to Work Even While the Government Is Shut

The Department of Homeland Security told all staff who had been furloughed to return on the next normal workday, most likely Monday. The instruction came after a memo from the White House that granted DHS employees the same pay and benefits they would have received if the agency had been fully funded. A senior DHS official confirmed that the president’s order ensures workers are paid, even though Congress has not yet passed a new budget for the department. The agency’s workforce of about 270, 000 is largely classified as “essential, ” meaning they must keep working during a shutdown. The current partial government closure has been in place for almost two months, leaving many federal employees in limbo.The political backdrop is tense. Democratic lawmakers have criticized the administration’s tough stance on immigration, especially actions taken by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement—a part of DHS. Rights advocates argue that the crackdown infringes on legal rights and endangers minority communities. The administration insists its measures are meant to boost national security and reduce illegal immigration, though critics point to incidents such as the fatal shooting of two U. S. citizens by ICE agents earlier this year in Minnesota. DHS chief Markwayne Mullin said the department would use whatever funds are available to bring all employees back. He blamed the shutdown on Democratic opposition, noting that payroll processing is now underway. The move highlights how government agencies must balance operational needs with political negotiations, and it raises questions about the fairness of furloughs when essential work continues.