Most DHS Employees to Work Through Government Shutdown in 2025

Department of Homeland Security to Remain Operational Despite Federal Shutdown

As the federal government braces for a potential shutdown in late 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing to keep the majority of its workforce on duty. With national security and public safety at stake, DHS employees are classified among the “essential” personnel who will continue to work even if Congress fails to pass necessary funding bills.

According to recent internal memos and agency guidance, over 80% of DHS’s workforce will be exempt from furloughs due to their critical roles in border protection, cybersecurity, transportation safety, emergency response, and immigration enforcement.

Why Most DHS Employees Will Keep Working

The DHS includes agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the U.S. Coast Guard. These entities are central to managing homeland security and public emergencies.

Because many of these functions are deemed vital to national interests, DHS has determined that a majority of its nearly 260,000 employees are categorized as “excepted” personnel under federal shutdown guidance. These employees are legally required to work during a lapse in appropriations, though their pay is delayed until the government is funded again.

Key DHS Components Remaining Active

Based on the latest shutdown contingency plan, the following DHS components will retain most of their workforce:

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) – All security screening personnel will remain on duty to ensure the smooth operation of the nation’s airports.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – Nearly 96% of CBP staff will continue working to secure U.S. borders and ports of entry.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Approximately 80% of ICE employees will remain active, primarily in detention operations and enforcement functions.
FEMA – Emergency response capabilities will be sustained, with roughly 86% of FEMA’s staff continuing to work.
U.S. Coast Guard – Operations such as search and rescue, law enforcement, and maritime security will not be interrupted.

Impact on DHS Employees During Shutdown

While most DHS employees will remain on the job, there will still be significant consequences, particularly concerning pay and job stress. Government shutdowns can lead to delays in receiving salaries, even for those who are required to work.

Furloughed employees—those not considered essential—will be sent home without pay until the shutdown ends. In past shutdowns, Congress typically approved retroactive pay, but there are no guarantees.

Excepted employees must continue to perform their duties, often under increased pressure and without knowing when their next paycheck will arrive.

Morale and Operational Challenges

Working under a government shutdown places a serious strain on employee morale and department efficiency. DHS employees have consistently voiced the stress that comes with working through political uncertainty.

Key challenges include:

Delayed paychecks for staff working essential roles during the shutdown
Increased workloads as furloughed employees leave gaps in administrative or support functions
Low morale due to lack of clarity on funding decisions and no timeline on when normal operations will resume

DHS leadership is reportedly taking steps to prepare staff and ensure continuity, including providing mental health resources and contingency planning for extended scenarios.

DHS Shutdown Plans: A Familiar Routine?

This isn’t the first time DHS has faced the prospect of a prolonged partial shutdown. In fact, many of its agencies operate under mandatory contingency protocols, designed to activate quickly in case of a funding lapse.

The January 2019 record government shutdown is still fresh in the minds of many employees, especially TSA officers and Border Patrol agents who worked for weeks without pay. The experience has helped agencies fine-tune their shutdown response strategies to minimize operational disruption.

Shutdown Planning Process

Every federal agency, including DHS components, is required to submit and periodically update contingency plans to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). These plans detail:

Which roles are deemed essential or non-essential
Which operations will continue during a shutdown
Guidelines for communication with employees and the public

The 2025 DHS plan indicates that:

Roughly 209,000 of 260,000 DHS personnel fall under the “excepted” category
Several agencies—like the U.S. Secret Service and TSA—have 100% excepted staff
Preparation drills and communications have started in anticipation of potential disruptions

Funding the DHS: A Political Tug-of-War

Much of the uncertainty around funding stems from ongoing disagreements in Congress over spending priorities—especially related to border security, immigration enforcement, and cybersecurity.

Key debates include:

Border wall spending
Immigration policy reform and detention funding
Cybersecurity infrastructure and defense against national threats

DHS funding has often been caught in the broader struggle between political parties, turning the department’s operations into bargaining chips during contentious budget negotiations.

Public Safety Uncompromised, but at What Cost?

For the public, the good news is that safety-related services like border security, airport screening, and emergency responses will remain operational. However, the cost of maintaining these functions is borne largely by the essential DHS personnel, who work under tremendous pressure during shutdown periods.

Critical services that remain unaffected include:

Airport security screenings (TSA)
Border inspections and patrol (CBP)
Emergency responses (FEMA)
Immigration enforcement (ICE)
Maritime safety and interdiction (Coast Guard)

Even though public-facing operations continue, behind-the-scenes tasks—grant processing, administrative support, and research initiatives—often come to a standstill, creating backlogs that persist well after shutdowns end.

Conclusion: DHS Prepares for Service Continuity Amid Uncertainty

As the 2025 government shutdown approaches, the Department of Homeland Security is once again preparing to perform its core functions without interruption. While this ensures the protection of public safety and national borders, it also places a heavy burden on the hardworking men and women at the agency who must step up despite financial uncertainty.

Such shutdowns raise critical questions about America’s budgeting processes and the toll political gridlock takes on federal workers. Though essential staff will continue to serve with dedication, a long-term solution remains necessary to prevent disruption and protect the livelihoods of those upholding national security.

For now, the mission continues—but DHS employees, many of whom are veterans of previous shutdowns, hope this time will be shorter, less chaotic, and better supported.