Image Credit: Andrew Harnik / Staff / Getty Images 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees will be paid all compensation and benefits owed during the seven-week government shutdown, thanks to a new memo signed by President Trump.
The ongoing shutdown is the longest in US history.
Congress remains at a stalemate, because Democrats refuse to provide funding immigration enforcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other agencies have been without pay.
In the memorandum, signed on Friday, President Trump pointed the finger of blame at the Democrats and described the treatment of DHS employees as “callous.”
“This callous treatment of DHS employees must end in order to ensure that America is not susceptible to security threats and maintains readiness to respond to emergencies,” the document reads.
Trump said US national security is now under threat as a result of the shutdown.
He directed the new DHS Director, Markwayne Mullin, and Office of Management and Budget Director Russel Vought to use funds “that have a reasonable and logical nexus” to DHS functions, providing “each and every employee” with the money they should have been paid over the last seven weeks.
The memorandum also states that once funding is secured, the Department will continue to operate as it did before the shutdown.
On Thursday, in a post on Truth Social, Trump hinted he would take executive action.
“Republicans are UNIFIED, and moving forward on a plan that will reload funding for our FANTASTIC Border Patrol and Immigration Enforcement Officers,” Trump wrote.
Republicans are now pursuing two plans to fund DHS and end the shutdown.
“In the coming days, Republicans in the Senate and House will be following through on the President’s directive by fully funding the entire Department of Homeland Security on two parallel tracks: through the appropriations process and through the reconciliation process,” a joint statement said.
President Trump has said he hopes to have a funding bill for DHS on his desk by 1 June.
