‘He’s suffered for too long’: Trump says he will sign order to pay DHS employees amid funding gridlock – The

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will soon sign an order to ensure that Department of Homeland Security employees who have remained without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown will receive their salaries, as the funding crisis extends to 48 days.Announcing the move in a social media post, Trump blamed Democrats for the gridlock while thanking Republican leaders for efforts to resolve it. The decision follows a similar intervention earlier, when it allowed TSA workers to be paid wages amid widespread absenteeism that caused long delays at airport security checkpoints.The latest order is expected to include other non-law enforcement DHS employees, including employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Coast Guard, along with support staff.Trump said their families “have suffered for a very long time.”“However, help is on the way for our brave and patriotic public servants who have continued to work hard and do their part to protect and defend our country,” he added.The move comes as lawmakers remain deadlocked over DHS funding, with no legislative breakthrough on Thursday. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate held only short formal sessions, making it likely that the closure will extend into next week.

Republican leaders and the White House have now lined up behind a two-step plan to fully fund the department, after earlier disagreements led Congress to leave Washington for spring break without reaching a decision.During the Senate’s short session, Majority Leader John Thune set aside a House proposal that would have funded the entire department for 60 days. Meanwhile, the House has not adopted a bipartisan plan approved by the Senate, although Thune expressed optimism about its eventual passage.“I don’t know the details about what the House is going to do with it,” Thune told reporters. “My assumption is that at some point, I hope they move it.”A major sticking point remains funding for immigration enforcement agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, with conservative Republicans pushing for full support for Trump’s immigration agenda.“Let’s make it simple: Give in to Democrats and not pay CBP and ICE agree to defund law enforcement and leave our borders wide open again,” said Rep. Scott Perry.

“If that’s the vote, I don’t.”Meanwhile, Democrats accused Republicans of obstructing the bipartisan agreement. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said internal divisions in the Republican Party hindered progress.“Republican divisions have derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction,” Schumer said.Looking ahead, Trump is pushing for a broader budget package to fund ICE and Border Patrol during the remainder of his term, with the goal of protecting those agencies from future funding disputes.

He said he wants this legislation finished by June 1.Thune acknowledged the potential challenges in passing this bill, warning against expanding its scope.“We need to act quickly,” he added. “Maybe it’s not a potential magnet for all these other issues.”Despite the shutdown, most DHS employees continued to report for duty, although many were not paid. Previous disturbances at airport security checkpoints, caused by TSA employees being called off work, began to subside after some workers began receiving wages following Trump’s previous order.