EL PASO, Texas, Dec 21, (V7N) – If the federal government shuts down on Friday, U.S. border crossings will remain open, and border agents will continue working through the holiday season – though they will not receive pay, at least temporarily.

About 75% of Homeland Security personnel are considered essential and are required to work even if Congress cannot reach an agreement to fund the government. This includes roughly 19,000 Border Patrol agents stationed along the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders.

The agents, who patrol vast stretches of the U.S.-Mexico border, will continue their duties at field stations, checkpoints, and holding facilities. Their main tasks are to intercept smugglers and migrants crossing illegally into the U.S.

In addition to Border Patrol agents, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will also be working through the shutdown, performing critical roles like intercepting illegal drugs, weapons, ammunition, and agricultural products that could harm U.S. food safety. CBP officers, however, are bracing for the financial impact of a shutdown, which will disrupt their pay and complicate their holiday plans.

Gustavo "Gus" Sánchez, president of the local chapter of the National Treasury Employees Union, said many CBP officers feel as though they are being treated unfairly. He recalled the 2018 shutdown when he had to delay treatment for a heart condition due to the financial strain. "We feel like pawns," Sánchez said. "They’re not losing money. They’re in a nice cushy job. We have to show up. We’ll eventually get paid, but you know how it feels to go to work and not have money for gas."

While Homeland Security personnel are promised back pay once the shutdown ends, the uncertainty over its duration creates stress and lowers morale among workers.

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