Thousands of workers at the Washington, DC, headquarters of the US Agency for International Development cleared out their offices yesterday, as the shutdown of the agency by the Trump administration continued to advance. The terminations follow the cancellation of roughly 90% of USAID-funded work around the globe.
Created six decades ago as a means to consolidate the US government's foreign aid efforts, USAID is appropriated roughly $40B from Congress each year. The future of the organization and its operations remains unclear—while it is authorized and funded by Congress and requires an act of Congress to dissolve (see link to overview), some analysts say its programs could be legally folded into the State Department.
Of the roughly 6,000 USAID employees affected, some have been placed on leave, while others have been permanently fired. The numbers of each have been difficult to determine, though recent reports suggest around two-thirds will remain on leave while legal challenges proceed.
In related news, a federal judge late yesterday ruled that large-scale firings of probationary workers may have been unlawful. The issue is expected to be appealed.
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