The Department of Homeland Security has instructed thousands of furloughed employees to return to work during the ongoing partial government shutdown, according to internal communications reported by CBS News. The move marks an unusual adjustment to standard shutdown procedures and signals continued disruption across federal agencies as funding negotiations remain unresolved.

In an internal April 10 notice, DHS Chief Human Capital Officer La’ Toya Prieur informed staff that all DHS employees were being restored to a work and paid status and directed them to report on their next scheduled duty day. A separate directive issued to Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel instructed that all employees be placed in exempt status and required to return in person to their assigned duty stations.

The decision effectively reverses typical shutdown protocol, under which only designated “excepted” employees continue working, often without pay, while others are placed on furlough until funding is restored. DHS officials indicated the agency is relying on available funding streams to resume payroll, while also warning employees that compensation could be affected if those resources are exhausted.

Markwayne Mullin said most employees have now received back pay covering earlier periods of the shutdown, which began February 14, but cautioned that future pay is not guaranteed without congressional action to resolve the funding lapse. He described the payments as a temporary measure dependent on continued fiscal availability and legislative progress.

The directive has raised legal and budgetary questions, with critics noting potential tension with long-standing interpretations of the Antideficiency Act, which governs federal spending during funding gaps. The expanded return-to-work order also places new pressure on agencies already operating under constrained budgets.

Internal communications warned employees that failure to comply with reporting requirements could result in administrative or disciplinary action, underscoring the urgency of the directive as operations resume under uncertain conditions.

The shutdown continues to ripple through the federal government amid a broader political standoff over immigration-related funding priorities. Lawmakers remain divided over allocations tied to border and enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

According to the report, the Senate has advanced a funding framework that excludes certain immigration enforcement provisions, while House Republicans are pursuing separate funding strategies through budget reconciliation, prolonging the impasse. The deadlock has contributed to leadership changes and internal restructuring within DHS in recent months, including the departure of former Secretary Kristi Noem.