The Trump administration is preparing to fire hundreds of senior leaders at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week in a sweeping effort to remove officials viewed as not aligned with the administration’s objectives, according to three sources familiar with the plan.
Unlike broader federal workforce reductions, these dismissals are not aimed at cutting costs but rather at reshaping DHS leadership. Sources say the administration has compiled a list of high-level officials across various DHS agencies, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are expected to be removed.
The targeted officials hold influential roles, including Senior Executive Service (SES) and General Schedule (GS) 15 positions, which significantly impact policy and strategy. The administration views them as roadblocks to its enforcement priorities, particularly on immigration. DHS oversees agencies such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which play central roles in border security and deportation efforts.
“These people put themselves in a terrible position, and they need to be removed,” a Trump administration official said, defending the decision. The official added that the firings are intended to eliminate bureaucratic resistance and streamline the agency’s ability to execute the administration’s immigration policies.
A former senior Biden administration official criticized the move, noting that career civil servants at these levels “have an influence on policy and strategy” and that such mass firings could disrupt agency operations.
DHS issued a statement framing the firings as part of broader government reform efforts: “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making sweeping cuts and reforms across the federal government to eliminate egregious waste and incompetence that has been happening for decades at the expense of the American taxpayer.”
The shake-up follows previous job cuts at DHS and signals an aggressive push to reshape the department’s leadership in line with administration priorities.
