John Kelly, other ex-Homeland Security secretaries call on Trump to fund the department

On Wednesday, five former Homeland Security secretaries — including ex-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly — sent a letter to President Trump and members of Congress, urging them to "fund the critical mission" of the Department of Homeland Security.

NBC News obtained a copy of the letter, signed by Kelly, Tom Ridge, Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano, and Jeh Johnson, which states that "homeland security is national security," and the department's more than 240,000 employees need to be paid. "DHS employees who protect the traveling public, investigate and counter terrorism, and protect critical infrastructure should not have to rely on the charitable generosity of others for assistance in feeding their families and paying their bills while they steadfastly focus on the mission at hand," the former secretaries said. "This is unconscionable."

During other government shutdowns, Congress has voted to fund the workforce of national security agencies, and the letter urges lawmakers to do the same thing this time around. Otherwise, the ex-secretaries warn, DHS employees will leave for the private sector, leaving critical positions empty. They ended the letter by saying they are "awed by the sacrifices that the men and women of DHS and their families make every day and their extraordinary service to our nation."

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