Law enforcement officers who work for the Department of Homeland Security will be paid for all hours worked during the ongoing government shutdown, Secretary Kristi Noem said Oct. 16.

More than 70,000 agents serving exempted areas including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, the Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration will receive a "super check" on Oct. 22, Noem said in a statement on X.

"DHS remains deeply grateful to our law enforcement for their continued professionalism, vigilance, and service under challenging circumstances," Noem added.

Much of DHS is considered "essential" to government operations, so officers have remained on duty during the shutdown.

The shutdown entered its 17th day on Oct. 17 with no end in sight as lawmakers are at an impasse over federal funding allocations for the 2026 fiscal year.

A tenth vote on Oct. 16 failed to reopen the government, and the Senate will vote again on a House-passed measure on Oct. 20. By that point, the shutdown will become the third-longest in history.

DHS officers will receive 'super check' covering shutdown back pay, Noem says

Noem said DHS officers will receive a "super check" on Wednesday, Oct. 22, covering all hours worked during the shutdown as well as the next pay period.

USA TODAY has reached out to DHS for more information.

Most government employees who are considered essential and therefore still working during the shutdown aren't getting paid.

Once Congress agrees on funding appropriations and the shutdown end, federal workers should get paid as usual in accordance with The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.

The Office of Management of Budget said in an Oct. 14 statement posted on X that the White House is “making every preparation to batten down the hatches and ride out the Democrats’ intransigence.”

“Pay the troops, pay law enforcement, continue the (reductions in force), and wait,” the OMB added in the statement.

How many ICE, Border Patrol agents are working during shutdown?

It doesn't appear that the "super check" will be going to all of the exempted DHS employees who are still working during the shutdown.

Noem said that more than 70,000 sworn law enforcement officers will receive the check.

Sworn officers are those who carry a firearm, have arrest power and a badge. Unlike unsworn officers, sworn officers must attend a law enforcement academy, according to Go Law Enforcement.

According to DHS' shutdown contingency plan, the agency has approximately 161,000 essential employees working under the "necessary to protect life and property" exception, which is inclusive of law enforcement officers.

That includes more than 63,000 Border Patrol, 19,000 ICE, 61,000 TSA and 8,000 Secret Service employees still working during the shutdown, per the plan.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DHS officers, including ICE agents, will be paid during government shutdown, Noem says

Reporting by Melina Khan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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