DHS cuts at least 405 employees from workforce
The Department of Homeland Security has cut 405 employees from its workforce, a DHS official first told ABC News on Friday.
The bulk of the cuts were at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which saw over 200 people cut, and then the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which saw 130 people cut. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services saw under 50 people cut, and DHS Science and Technology Directorate saw 10 people cut.
Additionally, 12 Coast Guard members who work on diversity, equity and inclusion were affected by the reduction in force, with an offer to support border security efforts at the southwestern border. All of these people are based out of Washington, D.C., and are currently on administrative leave.
"Under President Trump's leadership, we are making sweeping cuts and reform across the federal government to eliminate egregious waste and incompetence that has been happening for decades at the expense of the American taxpayer," a DHS spokesperson told ABC News.
"Today's Department of Homeland Security personnel action will result in roughly $50 million in savings for American taxpayers and incalculable valuable toward accountability and cutting red tape," the spokesperson added. "DHS component leads identified non-mission critical personnel in probationary status. We are actively identifying other wasteful positions and offices that do not fulfill DHS' mission."
DHS has a workforce of approximately 252,000, according to the fiscal year 2024 budget.
ABC News' Jack Date contributed to this report.
