The U.S. federal government’s 2026 fiscal year began October 1, 2025. Since that date, 137 days have passed. On that date, the federal government shutdown began, and that shutdown lasted for 43 days, the longest in American history.

Since February 14, funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed and essential DHS workers must work without pay until the funding is restored; this is 32 days. (DHS employees will get paid the back pay they’re owed, but they have no idea when that back pay will arrive.)

This means that if you are an “essential worker” for DHS, you have worked without pay for 75 days, or 54 percent of this fiscal year so far. This is a rotten way to treat people who have signed on to the job of protecting us, and it........

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