Just recently, the US State Department announced plans for a historic overhaul. This will lead to pink slips for close to 15% of its US workforce. This decision is the latest step in making the department’s mission more closely reflect President Donald Trump’s “America First” vision. Officials have simply found overlapping positions and agencies inside the organization itself. The move, which insiders are calling the largest restructuring in decades, is projected to cut 1,800 employees.
Michael Rigas, the deputy secretary for management and resources, released a memo Continue reading → When these layoffs occur, they are frequently referred to as reductions in force, or RIFs. The State Department plans to provide voluntary separations as part of this effort. In the next few days, the department will be contacting people who would be impacted by the planned cuts.
“In the coming days, the department will be communicating to individuals affected by the reduction in force. First and foremost, we want to thank them for their dedication and service to the United States,” – Michael Rigas
It is absolutely critical that the State Department has adequate resources to advise the president and carry out our interests. It operates three separate offices handling sanctions policy and their planned restructuring will combine or cut hundreds of bureaus. In a background briefing, a senior State Department official elaborated that the changes primarily focus on redundant offices. They’re changing cross-cut functions to regional bureaus and into embassies overseas, too.
“A lot of this covers redundant offices and takes some of these cross-cut functions and moves them to the regional bureaus and to our embassies overseas, to the people who are closest to where diplomacy is happening,” – A senior State Department official
Changes at the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration are in the works. The most notable amendment is the creation of a remigration office that will facilitate expedited deportations. This is a radical departure for the bureau. It will be no longer concerned with helping legal immigrants come to the United States.
“It was looking at what are the functions that are redundant, are overlapping or are no longer aligned with the president’s foreign policy priorities in a post-cold war world,” – A senior State Department official
The good news is that the State Department is following through on these changes. Often officials express a desire to cut out unnecessary operations to better fulfill their important mission. The department’s approach aims to enhance its effectiveness in international diplomacy while adhering closely to the current administration’s policy objectives.