The Trump administration pays 70,000 law enforcement officers via "super checks" during the shutdown, while other essential workers remain unpaid, sparking legal and ethical concerns.

During the ongoing government shutdown, the Trump administration is paying approximately 70,000 federal law enforcement officers—including FBI, ICE, CBP, and Secret Service agents—via "super checks" covering regular pay, back pay, and overtime, funded by a $75 billion allocation from the One Big Beautiful Bill. These payments are not extended to other essential workers such as intelligence analysts, support staff, air traffic controllers, and employees at agencies like the SSA and CDC, who remain unpaid and face financial hardship. The selective pay system, justified by the administration as necessary for national security, has sparked internal divisions, raised legal concerns over funding reallocations without congressional approval, and intensified criticism over inconsistent treatment of federal workers.