WASHINGTON, DC – Over 41,000 U.S. Coast Guard members face the risk of not receiving pay on February 27, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has fallen into a funding shortage. A group of 13 lawmakers, led by Representative Nicole Malliotakis, sent a letter urging President Trump to intervene urgently.

In the letter sent on Friday, the lawmakers emphasized that the United States Coast Guard is an essential branch of the U.S. military and should not become a "bargaining chip" in political disputes. They urged the President to use all available authority to ensure that service members do not experience delayed pay.

DHS Runs Out of Funds, Many Agencies Affected

Federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security expired on February 14 after Congress failed to reach a long-term budget agreement for the agency.

While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continue to be funded under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are among the agencies directly affected.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is also impacted, although airport security personnel are not expected to experience delayed pay until mid-March.

Political Dispute Between Two Parties

The lawmakers' letter criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for failing to reach a budget agreement, arguing that this puts service members in a difficult position.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated during the week that President Trump wants the government to operate normally and criticized Democrats for "choosing political confrontation."

Schumer said over the weekend that he would not support a bill to end the partial government shutdown without meeting three demands related to ICE operations, including ending roving patrols, increasing accountability, and prohibiting ICE agents from concealing their faces while on duty.

Third Partial Government Shutdown in Three Months

This marks the third time the federal government has experienced a partial shutdown within three months. During the 43-day shutdown last fall, President Trump directed the Pentagon to transfer funds from other accounts to ensure that service members continued to receive timely pay.

There has been no new official response from the White House regarding the lawmakers' letter.