Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™.

Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been wreaking havoc on the American people, from their quest to gain access to sensitive information within the government to assisting President Donald Trump with his plan to lay off federal employees and dismantle government agencies like the Department of Education. Federal jobs were once a symbol of stable employment, but with mass layoffs and confusion surrounding what jobs still exist, that sentiment may not exist anymore. So far this year, about 200,000 federal workers have had their roles eliminated and 75,000 federal employees have been laid off, with more to come as DOGE continues to comb through federal agencies.

Agencies have done hiring freezes, offered buyouts, and mass-fired workers. Some workers doubt that they will even receive the settlement that the administration is offering. Many of these attempts to cut down on employee size are most likely illegal. But as seen with Trump’s numerous executive orders, this administration isn’t bogging itself down with the legality of its actions.

The current administration’s obsession with cutting federal jobs isn’t to save money or to reduce a deficit but to continue dismantling essential services and agencies that keep the country running. The administration has also passed executive orders dismantling federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, as well as stated its aim to privatize the U.S. postal service. About 18% of the federal workforce is Black. What happens to them as Trump continues to cut federal jobs?

For decades, working in the federal government meant job security and upward social mobility in the Black community. Black workers who took jobs within various government agencies were able to provide for their families and buy homes. Federal jobs were what helped build up the Black middle class — which is now shrinking today. Without federal DEI initiatives, and the mass layoffs of government workers, Black federal workers will be losing the one career that almost guarantees job security. Federal workers are also at a disadvantage, as it’s difficult to translate some work into a job in the private sector, and even then there aren’t many opportunities to work in the private sector.

This leaves many federal workers scrambling to find jobs in an uncertain economy. With Trump’s tariffs, the dismantling of important agencies, and the increasing concerns about bird flu, the economy could be headed toward a downward spiral in a few months. The mass unemployment of Black federal workers will only further decimate the Black middle class who depend on these jobs. Trump’s insistence on creating a “color blind” society is only harming the Black community. 

There aren’t many sectors left that provide the same stability as federal jobs. Every industry is experiencing shortages or layoffs, and it’s sad to witness jobs in a sector that once provided stability be ripped away from the people who need them most.