A coalition of lawmakers, spearheaded by Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), has appealed to President Trump to secure payment for US Coast Guard personnel amid the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In a letter addressed to the President, Malliotakis, along with 12 other congressional representatives from areas with significant Coast Guard operations, highlighted the potential financial impact on over 41,000 active-duty and Reserve Coast Guard members. These service members are at risk of not receiving their paychecks on February 27 if DHS remains without funding.
The letter emphasized the importance of the Coast Guard as a crucial component of the armed services, asserting that its members should not become pawns in political negotiations.
The lawmakers expressed their frustration, stating, “It is alarming that Coast Guard personnel find themselves in this predicament due to the political deadlock led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and other Democratic figures who are prioritizing political maneuvering over national security.”
They urged President Trump to “deploy every available authority to guarantee that these committed servicemembers receive their due compensation.”
The letter concluded with a strong appeal, asserting that “these courageous individuals have consistently honored their commitment to serve the nation, and it is imperative that the government reciprocates by fulfilling its obligations to them.”
Federal funding for DHS lapsed on Feb. 14 after Congress failed to come to an agreement on a long-term spending bill for the department.
While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remain funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are among the other agencies within DHS that are currently cash-strapped.
Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) airport security screeners are also impacted by the shutdown but won’t miss their first paychecks until mid-March, according to Politico.
“[W]e have FEMA workers, the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, men and women of TSA, who keep our airports moving, who will be working without paychecks for no good reason other than the Democrats wanting to pick a fight with Donald Trump,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this week.
“And the president thinks that’s irresponsible and despicable. He wants the government to be open.”
Over the weekend, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) signaled that he wouldn’t back legislation to end the partial government shutdown unless “three basic objectives to rein in ICE” are agreed to by Republicans.
Those three objectives include ending the Trump administration’s roving ICE patrols, stronger accountability for immigration enforcement officers, and barring ICE officers from wearing masks.
Schumer has been negotiating with the White House on a deal to fund DHS while House lawmakers have been out of town on a one-week recess.
The latest lapse in federal funding is the third government shutdown within the past three months.
Amid the record-long, 43-day government shutdown last fall, Trump ordered the Pentagon to tap into various accounts to ensure service members received their paychecks.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
