Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) staff impacted by the ongoing partial shutdown will receive an extension on the nationwide federal tax filing deadline.
Tax season is due to end this month, with returns and payments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) due on April 15.
“The ongoing DHS shutdown under the radical left has created unnecessary disruptions, putting an unfair burden on DHS personnel and their families,” Bessent wrote on X on Wednesday.
“As they continue to show up under extraordinary circumstances without receiving a paycheck, President Donald Trump, the U.S. Treasury, and the IRS will provide affected DHS employees with a 30-day automatic extension for this tax filing season with penalty and interest relief.”
He added: “We are committed to supporting our hard-working DHS officers and employees so they can stay focused on their mission and keep the American people safe without being penalized for missing a tax filing deadline.”
It comes as a resolution to the partial shutdown at the DHS could be approaching, after Republican leaders in Congress on Wednesday agreed to move forward with legislation to fund most of the agency’s operations, excluding those tied to immigration enforcement. The department has been shutdown since mid-February.
The shutdown triggered hours-long security delays at some airports last month, as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff, which is part of the DHS, either resigned or failed to report to work after enduring weeks without pay.
Conditions started to improve earlier this week when Trump signed an order to restore paychecks for TSA employees.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
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