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Ex-Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly Calls on President to End Shutdown

Kelly, along with four other former Homeland Security secretaries, called for the shutdown to end to “ensure our homeland remains safe.”

Former White House chief of staff John Kelly, along with four other former Homeland Security secretaries, has called on President Trump to end the partial government shutdown in order to ensure national security. “We are awed by the sacrifices that the men and women of DHS and their families make everyday and their extraordinary service to our nation,” read a joint letter from the former officials. “We call on our elected leaders to restore the funding necessary to ensure our homeland remains safe and that the Department's critical national security functions continue without compromise.” The letter was reportedly signed by Kelly, Tom Ridge, Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano, and Jeh Johnson. CNN reports 85 percent of DHS employees are currently working without pay or are furloughed due to the shutdown, and will not receive pay until Trump funds and reopens the government.