Local CBP staff members and employees facing struggles amid partial government shutdown
Heriberto Perez Lara
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — With the ongoing government shutdown partially impacting the Department of Homeland Security, some local CBP staff and employees are not receiving their paychecks.
President Trump recently signed an emergency order to promptly pay TSA workers who haven’t been paid during the current six-week shutdown and to help reduce long lines at various airports across the country.
According to Gustavo Sanchez, president of the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU) chapter 143 here in El Paso, this partial government shutdown is not affecting the officer level, those working and operating at the Ports of Entry, but it is impacting support staff, administrative employees, CBP technicians, and even the managerial oversight in those departments.
“These employees are vital for us; they provide support in different areas, whether it’s administrative, which is the role of Mission Support Specialists (MSAs), or handling tasks like paperwork for travel, since we are still going to other locations, and the technicians who assist us with vehicle issues or at the ports’ lights,” said CBP Officer Sanchez.
This NTEU chapter covers the area from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Presidio, Texas; President Sanchez represents about 150 employees, including union members and managers.
“Right now, some of them are actually part of our steward staff, and they are finding it harder to come to work,” NTEU chapter 143 president Sanchez also said. “Now, with the higher gasoline prices, it’s becoming more difficult, and food might also be an issue.”
“I’m afraid of those things that we don’t know and that people don’t want to disclose; those are all the aspects currently being brought to our attention,” he added.
DHS has other branches or sections also impacted, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), among others.
“Right now, with all components, our leadership at the national level is trying to do everything that they can and here locally with CBP, they’re also trying to do everything they can, but their hands are tied,” Officer Sanchez said. “Of course, this comes from the top as far as the money being appropriated so people can get paid.”
During the previous full government shutdown in late 2025, Officer Sánchez had to miss a heart surgery because federal employees were not being paid, as he lacked the funds. “I went through it before, I told you before that I had to put off a surgery for my heart and I’m afraid to think of somebody out there having to go through the same situation.”
“Congress needs to sit down and say we need to fund it, we can’t be caught in the middle anymore because, us living every three months and not knowing if we’re going to get paid is a bad situation,” Sanchez added. “If it wasn’t because of the Big Beautiful Bill, we wouldn’t have been paid, so if that wasn’t there, all of us would be affected.”
There has been a reported increase in wait times at all Ports of Entry south of the border, but CBP officers working at all international bridges are being paid.
CBP Officer Sanchez says he doesn’t know the exact reason for the increase in wait time and maybe some infrastructure work and bridge remodeling at some ports of entry are the reasons for the impact and rise in traffic.
“What people need to know is that if our support staff doesn’t show up, somebody’s got to do their work, which means we’re (CBP officers) going to have to do our work.” “We’re going to have to go out there, and you’re going to take us away from the line.”
“One thing I do know is that we are currently providing support to other locations—specifically, we are assisting at the San Ysidro Port of Entry and collaborating with Border Patrol; consequently, not all of our personnel are stationed here. Over time, eventually becomes a problem and proves exhausting; so, that may very well be the situation. My point is that if support staff are not present, someone has to perform the work and that someone has to be us, which means we are diverting time away from our primary inspection duties,” Officer Sanchez added.
ABC-7 reached out to CBP and DHS to request comment; we are still awaiting a response.
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