Trump to sign order paying DHS workers amid shutdown

President Donald Trump planned to sign an order allowing all Homeland Security employees to receive payments amid the ongoing shutdown. DHS families who protect and serve their country have suffered too long under poor Democratic leaders, he wrote Thursday. Republican lawmakers are united around a plan to restore funds to U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration Enforcement, he added.

DHS workers impacted by the funding lapse receive a one-month filing extension this tax season with penalty and interest relief, according to a Thursday statement from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The Trump administration is committed to supporting hardworking DHS employees who remain focused on keeping Americans safe, he added.

What's the status of the latest DHS funding bills? The Senate passed a bill on Thursday to fund all DHS departments aside from ICE and Border Patrol. The approval came as part of a two-track plan to reopen DHS announced in a joint statement Wednesday by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. Leaders remained vague about the full plan but planned to use the appropriations process and the reconciliation process in concert to ultimately fund all of DHS, according to the statement.

The Senate bill was passed to the House on Thursday morning, but the House made no attempt to approve the legislation during its brief pro forma session. The House’s next pro forma session is scheduled for Monday, but both chambers are on recess until April 13.