The Trump administration is poised to dismiss hundreds of high-level employees within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The move is part of a broader effort to remove individuals deemed misaligned with the administration’s goals, particularly in enforcing immigration policies.
The sources revealed to NBC News that the administration has a “centralized plan” and a list of high-ranking officials across every DHS component who will be targeted. The cuts are not aimed at reducing the overall workforce but at eliminating employees perceived as obstacles to the administration’s agenda. The targeted positions include Senior Executive Service (SES) and General Schedule 15 (GS-15) employees, who hold significant influence over policy and strategy.
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This latest wave of dismissals follows hundreds of general workforce cuts that began on Friday night, affecting agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). These cuts are part of a government-wide effort to streamline the federal workforce.
The DHS firings come amid a broader initiative to increase accountability and efficiency across federal agencies.
Republican Florida Rep. Byron Donalds applauded the Trump administration’s efforts, particularly the audit of the IRS, during an appearance on Newsmax Friday. Donalds praised DOGE’s initiative, calling it overdue accountability for an agency that has long scrutinized American taxpayers.
“If this is the only thing that gets accomplished, it’ll be mission accomplished for Donald Trump and for his team because, for far too long, the IRS has had no problem peering into the books of every American, rich or poor, middle-income America,” Donalds said. “They love doing this stuff. But it’s time for them to be held accountable to make sure that everything that they’re paying for is fully accounted for.”
Donalds also criticized Democrats for what he described as selective concern about bureaucratic overreach. “Let’s be very clear to the Democrats who are all concerned about the bureaucratic state. Elon Musk is going over to the Department of Defense as well,” Donalds said. “President Trump has a mission, and that is to make sure that our government is efficient and that it gets out of the way of the American people so that our country can be great again, and so we’re going to examine everything.”
The comprehensive audit of the IRS, Donalds said, is not merely about fiscal accountability but also about promoting a leaner government. “Unlike the Democrats, we’re not going to pick and choose what gets the spotlight. Everything’s going to be examined. Everything’s going to be addressed,” Donalds added. “And it’s to the betterment of the American people because if we have an efficient government that spends less money, then that helps every American when it comes to price stability and being able to borrow money.”
Senior IRS officials have reportedly received an email directive to identify and terminate all contracts deemed “non-essential.” The General Services Administration (GSA) characterizes these non-essential contracts as those primarily producing reports, research, coaching, or other artifacts. “Consistent with the goals and directives of the Trump administration to eliminate waste, reduce spending, and increase efficiency, GSA has taken the first steps in a government-wide initiative to eliminate non-essential consulting contracts,” the email said, according to Reuters.
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The IRS has faced criticism from both sides of the political aisle, with a July Pew Research poll revealing that it holds the lowest favorability rating among all federal agencies, with 50% of Americans expressing a negative view. This sentiment is more pronounced among Republicans, partly due to ongoing allegations that the IRS has targeted conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status.
Despite the scrutiny, the IRS under the Biden-Harris administration approved approximately $2.4 billion in automatic stimulus payments set for distribution to qualified Americans by late January.
According to a December 20 press release, the IRS is distributing these funds to Americans who failed to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns and did not receive the economic stimulus payments issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement was made as former President Joe Biden’s term nears its end.
As the Trump administration moves forward with its plan to reshape DHS and other federal agencies, the impact on government operations and the broader workforce remains to be seen.
The shakeup is part of the administration’s determination to prioritize loyalty and alignment with its policy objectives, even at the cost of significant institutional upheaval. Meanwhile, the push for efficiency and accountability, exemplified by the IRS audit, reflects a broader effort to streamline government operations and reduce waste.
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