![](\"https:\/\/cdni.rt.com\/files\/2019.01\/thumbnail\/5c38f728fc7e93ad4f8b45c9.JPG\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Air traffic controllers have joined several other groups of federal employees suing the Trump administration over missed pay for having to work through the ongoing government shutdown. Some 13,000 FBI agents are also affected.<\/p>\n
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) filed a lawsuit on Friday, accusing the White House of depriving their members \u201cof their hard-earned compensation without the requisite due process.\u201d Failure to pay workers who are required to show up despite the shutdown \u201ccontinues to have a devastating effect on those devoted federal employees\u2019 lives,”<\/em> the NATCA lawsuit says.<\/p>\n JUST IN: National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) files lawsuit against Trump admin. alleging “the government unlawfully deprived NATCA members of their earned wages without due process.” pic.twitter.com\/ulzHNwt35K<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 11, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n NATCA\u2019s lawsuit is the third this week filed by labor unions representing federal employees. The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) have also sued<\/a> over the longest shutdown in US history.<\/p>\n In a separate case<\/a> before a federal court in Washington, DC the NTEU is arguing that the 1982 Antideficiency Act \u2013 under which the government shutdowns happen when Congress fails to appropriate funding for federal programs \u2013 is itself unconstitutional because it allows the executive branch to compel employees to work in emergencies.<\/p>\n Some 800,000 federal workers have been affected by the ongoing partial shutdown. According to the unions, more than half of that number have been required to show up for work anyway, because their jobs were declared essential.<\/p>\n Nearly 13,000 FBI employees are among those affected, the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) said in an open letter<\/a> sent on Thursday. The association urged Congress to fund the Department of Justice \u2013 and thereby the Bureau \u2013 because \u201cfinancial security is a matter of national security.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n If FBI agents miss paying their bills, the association warned, their security clearances could be delayed or revoked. Lack of funding would jeopardize the FBI\u2019s very important mission, and prevent it from attracting top talent already tempted by the private sector, the FBIAA wrote.<\/p>\n The FBI Agents Association claims that the shutdown could impact agents’ ability to pay their debts, and that could jeopardize their security clearances. pic.twitter.com\/50hkcNeZPy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) January 10, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n TSA agents are also working without pay, and increasingly calling in sick to work other jobs and make ends meet, according to reports. Facing a shortage of TSA staff, the Miami International Airport announced on Friday it would be closing one of its checkpoints over the weekend, effectively stopping all departures from Terminal G.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump continues to insist on building the barrier, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) have repeatedly said they will not approve any money for it, ever.<\/p>\n One possible way out of the stalemate is for Trump to declare a national emergency and use the Pentagon slush fund to build the wall. Though he has been hesitant to invoke those powers so far, there is increasing speculation he might do so by next week, as Wall Street estimates the shutdown may reduce the projected GDP by a quarter of a percentage point.<\/p>\n SCOOP: @WhiteHouse<\/a> sources say internal data shows impact of shutdown will hit economy shortly as officials grow increasingly worried abt economic impact of impasse. Sources: @realDonaldTrump<\/a> likely to end impasse w government emergency as soon as next week\n\n
\n
\n
\n Also on rt.com<\/span>
\n US Coast Guard tells employees to babysit & hold garage sales to survive government shutdown<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n Also on rt.com<\/span>
\n \u2018One way or another\u2019: Trump inches toward emergency over wall & shutdown impasse<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n
more now @FoxBusiness<\/a><\/p>\n