The US government has allocated a substantial £2 billion ($2.49 billion) to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2024, representing a fifth of the agency’s total budget. This funding supports life-saving assistance to 122 million displaced individuals across 136 countries. Simultaneously, the Trump administration has introduced measures that could reshape the federal workforce, including offering buyouts worth over seven months' salary for employees willing to leave their jobs. These offers are open until February 6, amidst efforts to implement new directives that have sparked considerable controversy.
A two-page internal memo circulated on Tuesday evening outlined four mandatory directives. Among these, a full-time return to office for most federal employees stands out, alongside a hiring and contract freeze and a ban on all international air travel. These measures are perceived as part of President Trump’s agenda to terminate programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). However, the implementation of these directives faced immediate legal challenges.
"Devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of grant recipients who depend on the inflow of grant money" – Unspecified groups
Federal Judge Loren AliKhan granted a temporary halt to the freeze after several advocacy groups argued it would severely impact programs ranging from healthcare to infrastructure projects. The court order prevents the freeze from being implemented until at least next Monday, February 3, when the court will revisit the issue.
"Purging the federal government of dedicated career federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government" – Everett Kelley
The US Constitution grants Congress authority over spending matters. Nonetheless, President Trump believes he has the power to withhold funds from programs he opposes. This stance has been met with confusion in Washington, as civil servants grapple with understanding the full scope and implications of the memo.
Adding to the complexity is President Trump's longstanding interest in acquiring Greenland, a strategically located territory with potentially untapped resources. Despite an overwhelming majority of Greenland's populace opposing US control, Trump continues to express interest in the island.
"Core lifesaving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance" – Marco Rubio
In light of these unfolding events, the UNHCR's critical work remains underpinned by US funding. This financial support is vital for delivering core lifesaving assistance such as medicine, food, and shelter to vulnerable populations worldwide.
"Temporarily pause all activities related to obligations or disbursement of all federal financial assistance" – Unspecified federal agencies
The memo's directives include pausing all activities related to federal financial assistance obligations or disbursements. This move has prompted federal agencies to express concerns about using resources for what they describe as "Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies," arguing it constitutes a misallocation of taxpayer dollars.
"The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars" – Unspecified federal agencies