As Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers began receiving back pay, a sense of frustration settled over a Coast Guard administrative office, according to a USCG worker who spoke with NBC News. Like TSA agents, thousands of civilian Coast Guard employees have been working without pay for over a month due to the partial government shutdown.

Shutdown Impact on DHS Employees

“Don't get me wrong, we're very happy for the TSA workers,” the Coast Guard worker said. “But what we were feeling, more than anything, was forgotten.” The worker expressed a feeling that their plight was being overlooked as attention focused on the TSA situation.

President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA workers following public backlash from both employees and travelers. However, this order was a temporary fix and did not extend to other essential DHS personnel.

Who is Affected?

The group of unpaid DHS employees includes civilian Coast Guard workers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) employees. These individuals are required to continue working despite the lack of compensation.

Congressional Response and Worker Struggles

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), strongly criticized Congress for adjourning for the Easter/Passover break without a funding agreement. “I have never been more disgusted by the failure of elected leadership in my life,” Kelley stated, adding, “Congress left them without a paycheck and went on a two-week paid vacation on our dime.”

The Coast Guard worker explained that civilian employees last received a full paycheck on February 16th, with a partial payment on March 2nd that ultimately resulted in less net pay due to full deductions. “We didn’t even get a half payment on March 2,” the worker said. “Payroll paid half of our gross salary with full deductibles. So our net pay was LESS than half. And nothing since then.”

Coping with Financial Hardship

Many workers are relying on interest-free loans from banks and assistance programs like CGMA. However, the worker noted, “sometimes being told to go look up those resources sounds like our leaders are telling us to go away or that they aren’t sure how to help.”

Some Coast Guard civilian workers are taking on second jobs, requiring permission to avoid conflicts of interest. Others are reluctantly beginning to search for alternative employment. “We are all looking for new jobs,” the worker said. “Right now I have a whole spread sheet of IOU’s to people who have been helping me through this and I have no idea how long we’re going to be working without pay. So I am looking too. I don’t want to leave, but I have no choice.”

DHS and Coast Guard Response

Lt. Cmdr. Steve Roth, the Coast Guard’s chief spokesperson, directed NBC News to a shutdown resources page for workers. “The Coast Guard cannot provide assurances, nor comment on pending legislation,” Roth stated.

Political Impasse and Shutdown Origins

The crisis began in February after Republicans rejected Democratic demands to address concerns regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) policies. The resulting impasse led to the DHS shutdown. Both sides have blamed each other for the situation.

TSA Workers' Perspective

A TSA worker who recently received their first paycheck in over a month expressed sympathy for their unpaid colleagues. They believe the payment was primarily for “optics,” as the long lines and travel disruptions were attracting negative public attention. Another TSA worker in Indiana acknowledged gratitude for the back pay but noted it was “just quieting down the loudest part of the problem.” They are concerned about running out of money again by April 10th.

“I’ve never had a job where I have to try to connect the news and internal memos and rumors like they’re puzzle pieces just to figure out if I can keep my house,” the Indiana-based TSA worker said.