More than 100,000 federal employees in the U.S. go a month without pay due to budget impasse

Washington, D.C. – More than 100,000 federal employees in the United States have gone over a month working without receiving a salary, as a consequence of the budget impasse affecting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, following the lack of agreement in Congress. The partial government shutdown originated after the Senate failed to pass a funding bill on February 14th, amid disputes between Republicans and Democrats over immigration policies, especially regarding the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service and the Border Patrol. Of the more than 200,000 DHS employees, more than half have been considered “non-essential” and sent home without pay. However, around 100,000 workers classified as “essential” continue to perform their duties without receiving payment.

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Among the most affected are Transportation Security Administration agents, as well as airport security personnel, emergency services, and National Guard members. The situation is already beginning to impact the functioning of the country’s airports. According to reports, about 30% of the staff did not show up for work at the beginning of the week, while more than 10% of TSA security agents were also absent, generating long lines and delays in security checks. Experts warn that, if the closure is prolonged, a massive resignation of employees could occur, which would worsen the operational crisis and could even lead to the temporary closure of airports with less capacity.