Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has initiated a voluntary buyout program for employees across multiple DHS agencies as part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to downsize the federal workforce.
The announcement was made in an internal memo circulated Monday night, reviewed by Politico.
The memo outlines three early departure options available to eligible employees: a cash incentive for early retirement, a cash incentive to voluntarily resign, or a deferred resignation plan that includes a short period of paid administrative leave.
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The offer applies to various DHS agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“[The buyout options] reflect our commitment to aligning our workforce with the evolving mission needs while supporting the personal and professional goals of our dedicated employees,” Noem wrote in the memo.
The buyout program is being implemented as part of a larger administration initiative to reduce the size and scope of federal agencies and reallocate resources to areas prioritized by President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
While the memo does not specify how many positions could be impacted, it signals a significant shift in operational strategy across key DHS divisions.
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The announcement follows comments made by Noem at a Cabinet meeting last month, during which she expressed her intention to eliminate FEMA.
The agency has come under scrutiny within the administration for its recent expenditures related to migrant housing.
According to officials, funds intended for emergency disaster response were redirected under the previous administration to support temporary sheltering of illegal immigrants.
Critics within the administration have argued that such use of funds falls outside FEMA’s intended mission, and Noem has said publicly that resources should be focused on domestic disaster recovery, not immigration-related expenses.
Employees who wish to take part in the buyout program have until April 14 to formally opt in.
The administrative process will begin shortly thereafter, and employees who select the deferred resignation option will be provided with a brief period of administrative leave before their departure.
The move is expected to be the first in a series of steps taken by the Department of Homeland Security to restructure its workforce and mission scope.
While DHS has not provided official numbers on how many employees it expects to depart under the plan, internal estimates are expected to be released following the conclusion of the opt-in period.
In a follow-up statement, DHS officials said the program is designed to “streamline operations, eliminate redundancies, and better align agency resources with national security priorities.”
Noem, who was appointed DHS Secretary earlier this year, has aligned closely with President Trump’s stated goals of restoring order to immigration enforcement, bolstering national security, and eliminating what the administration considers bloated or mismanaged federal entities.
The restructuring at DHS coincides with similar workforce reduction efforts at other federal departments, as the administration pursues its goal of minimizing bureaucracy and reprioritizing spending.
Additional announcements related to federal workforce reforms are expected in the coming months.
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