The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering buyouts and early retirement options to its employees as part of ongoing efforts to downsize and reorganize the federal workforce, according to an internal email obtained by sources.
In the email, titled “Reshaping of the DHS Workforce,” Secretary Kristi Noem outlined three options for staff who wish to leave: deferred resignation, early retirement, and a voluntary separation payment. The third option includes a lump-sum payment of up to $25,000 in some cases. Employees have until April 14 to decide whether to take advantage of these offers.
DHS did not disclose how many employees are expected to accept the offer or whether further staff reductions would follow. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated, “The American people deserve a government that works for them, something President Trump has promised. Every dollar spent and every position filled at DHS should be dedicated to securing our homeland and ensuring the safety of the American people.”
So far, DHS has avoided the large-scale layoffs seen in other federal agencies. In fact, the department has been actively recruiting additional staff in critical areas, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which are key to immigration enforcement efforts.
However, some divisions within the department have seen cuts, such as a center focused on preventing targeted violence and terrorism. Additionally, 200 probationary employees at FEMA were let go earlier this year, and three oversight offices within DHS have been significantly reduced.
In the Monday email, Noem emphasized that the buyout offers are part of the department’s commitment to aligning its workforce with evolving mission needs while supporting employees’ personal and professional goals. She noted that further guidance would be provided to staff about eligibility, with frontline law enforcement officers typically exempt from the buyout offer. This is particularly relevant for DHS, as many law enforcement officers serve in critical roles across departments like Customs and Border Protection.
Homeland Security was established following the September 11 attacks to consolidate 22 different agencies into a single department, bringing together entities like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and key components of the nation’s immigration and border security functions.
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