More than 1,000 people laid off at US State Department

July 12, 2025

The US State Department has laid off over 1,000 civil service and 246 foreign service employees as part of the Trump administration's workforce reduction efforts. These involuntary cuts follow more than 1,500 voluntary departures earlier this year, impacting key programs including refugee resettlement and Afghan relocation initiatives. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the reductions as a consequence of bureau closures rather than targeting individuals, while Democratic senators criticized the cuts as undermining national security.

Who is affected

More than 1,000 civil service employees and 246 foreign service employees at the State Department
Nearly all civil service officers in the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration's office of admissions
Employees of the State Department's Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) office
Refugees seeking resettlement in the US
The remaining State Department workforce (reported as having more than 18,700 US-based employees earlier this year)

What action is being taken

The State Department is implementing involuntary staff reductions affecting over 1,300 employees
The Trump administration is proceeding with federal workforce reductions following Supreme Court approval
Protesters are gathering outside the State Department building with supportive signs for departing diplomats
The State Department is absorbing the remainder of USAID programs that weren't canceled
Democratic senators on the Foreign Relations Committee are publicly criticizing the workforce cuts

Why it matters

The cuts impact key programs that handle refugee resettlement in the US
Critics argue the reductions will negatively affect the department's diplomatic work
Democratic senators believe the cuts undermine national security
The reductions represent a significant 18% decrease in the State Department's workforce
The layoffs are part of President Trump's campaign promise to cut government spending

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC