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USAID workers placed on leave and ordered to return home by Trump administration

Trump Administration Shakes Up USAID Mission Overseas: What You Need to Know

The Trump administration has made a drastic decision to place U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) direct-hire staffers around the world on leave, except for those deemed essential, disrupting the agency’s longstanding mission overseas.

A notice posted online on Tuesday instructed the workers to return home within 30 days. This move, which had been rumored for several days, is the most extreme of several proposals considered for consolidating the agency into the State Department. Other options included closures of smaller USAID missions and partial closures of larger ones.

Thousands of USAID employees have already been laid off, and programs worldwide have been shut down following President Donald Trump’s freeze on foreign assistance. Trump political appointees and Elon Musk’s budget-slashing Department of Government Efficiency have swiftly dismantled the aid agency, despite objections from Democratic lawmakers.

The spending stop ordered by the administration has paralyzed U.S.-funded aid and development work globally, leading to furloughs, firings, and the closure of the agency’s Washington headquarters. Lawmakers have expressed concern over the dismantling of the agency, with reports of computer servers being removed from the premises.

Elon Musk’s teams were involved in taking USAID’s website offline over the weekend, only for it to come back online on Tuesday night with the notice of recall or termination for global staffers as the sole post.

The decision to withdraw direct-hire staff and their families earlier than planned departures is expected to incur significant costs for the government in terms of travel and relocation expenses. Staff being placed on leave include both foreign and civil service officers who have legal protections against arbitrary dismissal.

The American Foreign Service Association, representing U.S. diplomats, has denounced the decision and is preparing legal action to challenge or halt it. Locally employed USAID staff, however, have limited recourse and were excluded from the federal government’s voluntary buyout offer.

USAID staffers abroad have been preparing for the move, with some facing difficult decisions such as whether to uproot their families midyear. The announcement coincided with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s tour of Central America, where he met with embassy and USAID staff in El Salvador and Guatemala.

Democratic lawmakers and others argue that USAID is an independent agency enshrined in legislation and cannot be shut down without congressional approval. The online notice states that exempted staff will include those responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs.

In conclusion, the decision to place USAID direct-hire staffers on leave has sparked controversy and concern among lawmakers, staff, and the international community. The future of the agency and its vital work in global development remains uncertain amidst these significant changes.

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