A federal judge gave the green light for a house cleaning at the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Trump administration soon followed up.
At least 1,600 of the staffers based in the U.S. were notified that they were being fired as thousands of others worldwide were told they were on leave.
A lawsuit from employees was filed to keep the temporary block on the plan by President Donald Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas from the workers and allowed the administration to continue its cost-cutting.
“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership, and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” read the notices sent to USAID workers and posted on the USAID website.
(Video Credit: ABC 7 Chicago)
“Concurrently, USAID is beginning to implement a Reduction-in-Force that will affect approximately 1,600 USAID personnel with duty stations in the United States,” the notice continued. “Individuals that are impacted will receive specific notifications on February 23, 2025, with further instructions and information about their benefits and rights.”
The USAID notice said it was “committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe” and “pledged not to cut off USAID staffers abroad from agency systems and other support.”
“Until they return home, personnel will retain access to Agency systems and to diplomatic and other resources,” the memo said.
About 600 “mostly U.S.-based staffers” will remain on the job per Pete Marocco, the USAID deputy administrator.
The ruling from Nichols also allows for the start of a planned 30-day deadline for overseas staffers to return to the U.S. in order to have their travel costs reimbursed by the government. They can, however, also choose to remain where they are on paid leave.
“In the coming week, we will provide details on how to retrieve personal items from the former USAID workspaces and return government-issued devices,” the notice stated.
Nichols removed his temporary block on the administration’s plan to cut staff, ruling that unions had not proved that the move would cause irreparable harm to the employees.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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