Five former secretaries of homeland security, including former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly, sent a letter to the president and Congress on Wednesday calling on them to restore funding for the department to ensure it can fulfill its mission.
“DHS employees who protect the traveling public, investigate and counter terrorism, and protect critical infrastructure should not have to rely on the charitable generosity of others for assistance in feeding their families and paying their bills while they steadfastly focus on the mission at hand. This is unconscionable," they wrote.
They also warned that, as the shutdown stretches on, “the Department also risks talented people leaving their posts to pursue employment in the private sector.”
