# Homeland Heroes Pay Act: Plain Language Summary

This bill ensures that certain border and immigration enforcement workers continue getting paid if the federal government runs out of money and shuts down. Specifically, it guarantees salaries for U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and officers working at the southern, northern, and maritime borders, as well as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who handle immigration enforcement and criminal investigations. The bill applies whenever there's a "lapse in appropriations"—the technical term for when Congress hasn't passed a budget and the government temporarily stops funding.

The practical effect is straightforward: these particular federal employees would keep receiving paychecks even during a government shutdown, unlike many other federal workers who typically go unpaid until funding resumes. The bill covers their salaries and work expenses for activities like inspecting people and goods at border crossings, investigating human trafficking and drug smuggling, and detaining and removing people who are in the country illegally.

The funding continues only until Congress passes a new budget or appropriations bill that addresses these agencies' funding needs. Once regular funding is restored—whether that includes money for these positions or explicitly excludes them—the temporary emergency funding from this bill stops. Essentially, this is a safety net to keep border security and immigration enforcement operations running without interruption during budget disputes in Congress.

Homeland Heroes Pay Act

Homeland Heroes Pay ActThis bill provides continuing appropriations for the salaries and expenses of certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and agents during any lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown).If a lapse in appropriations occurs, the bill provides continuing appropriations for the salaries and expenses of (1) CBP officers and agents who are performing mission critical functions at U.S. southwest, northern, and maritime border ports of entry, and between such ports of entry; and (2) ICE officers and agents who conduct immigration enforcement and investigations of criminal operations and organizations.