President Donald J. Trump announced on Apr. 3 a directive aimed at compensating Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees who have not received paychecks during the ongoing government shutdown.
The memorandum addresses the impact of the nearly seven-week shutdown, which has left more than 35,000 DHS employees without pay, including personnel from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Coast Guard civilians, Federal Emergency Management Agency workers, and cybersecurity professionals at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Trump said in the memorandum that "these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security." He directed the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to use available funds connected to DHS functions to provide affected employees with their due compensation and benefits "consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a)."
The President also instructed that once regular funding is restored for DHS, efforts should be made to adjust funding accounts as authorized by law to maintain operations consistent with planned expenditures prior to the lapse in appropriations.
Trump emphasized that nothing in this memorandum should affect existing legal authorities or create any enforceable rights against the United States or its agencies. The directive is subject to applicable laws and availability of appropriations.
