Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that they would be firing federal workers from a number of federal agencies.
These firings may have come as a surprise from the public, but the federal agencies were already asked to cut down the size of their staff prior to the mass layoffs. “The firings have affected all 50 states and include employees at agencies that Americans frequently interact with, including the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Internal Revenue Service, National Institutes of Health and many others,” stated Sarah D. Wire in a USA Today article.
One of the agencies taking the most hits from these layoffs is the Department of Education, with their workforce being slashed in half. Even with all the cutbacks and firings, it is clear that the Trump administration still plans to uphold this agency after several colleges threaten to close without federal funding.
However, the layoffs have recently been under fire by two federal judges due to the fact the firings were not soundly justified by the Trump administration when they were asked to explain why they initiated the layoffs.
The firings were deemed illegal and unlawful by the Office of Personnel Management, a division of the government meant to guide federal agencies and not make them take action.
Federal employee unions were the first step in challenging the legitimacy of the nationwide federal firings. These unions accused President Donald Trump and Elon Musk of using the layoffs to advance their efforts of their Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which aims to desolate the federal government.
As of right now, thousands of federal workers are set to come back into work for six federal agencies due to a federal judge’s official order.
Katie Germinder is a sophomore majoring in environmental studies and sustainability.
