Noem offers Homeland Security employee buyouts in move to shrink department

Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly sent an email Monday nighttime offering employees astatine the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 3 options to voluntarily exit and shrink the size of the national government's second-largest department. 

A transcript of her email, titled "Reshaping the DHS Workforce," was obtained by Politico and Axios. In it, Noem reportedly said employees had until April 14 to use for deferred resignation involving a "brief play of paid administrative permission to implicit cardinal tasks, taxable status documentation and hole for departure," a buyout to person a outgo of $25,000 "or an magnitude adjacent to severance wage if lower," oregon an aboriginal status programme offering reduced pensions and healthcare benefits.

"I americium penning to stock important quality regarding caller voluntary workforce modulation programs approved for contiguous implementation crossed the Department," Noem wrote, according to Politico. 

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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrives for a "Make America Wealthy Again" commercialized announcement lawsuit successful the Rose Garden astatine the White House connected April 2, 2025, successful Washington, D.C.  ( Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

She said the options "reflect our committedness to aligning our workforce with the evolving ngo needs portion supporting the idiosyncratic and nonrecreational goals of our dedicated employees."

"By offering these options, we mean to supply flexibility for employees who whitethorn beryllium considering a change, status oregon caller vocation opportunities portion besides supporting the Department's operational readiness," Noem added, according to Axios. 

A DHS spokesperson told Axios astir the voluntary exit offers that "the American radical merit a authorities that works for them, thing President Trump has promised."

As prisoners basal looking retired from a cell, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a circuit of the Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT) connected March 26, 2025, successful Tecoluca, El Salvador.  (Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images)

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"Every dollar spent and presumption filled astatine DHS should beryllium focused connected our halfway ngo of securing our homeland and keeping the American radical safe," the spokesperson reportedly added.

Noem is aiming to trim the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) by arsenic overmuch arsenic a third, and if the voluntary offers don't adequately shrink the agency, "reduction successful force" notices could travel next, Axios reported, citing sources acquainted with the matter. At a Cabinet gathering past month, Noem said she would "eliminate" the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), arsenic the Trump medication moves to manus powers connected catastrophe effect backmost to the states. 

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem waves aft being acknowledged by President Donald Trump arsenic helium delivers remarks connected reciprocal tariffs during an lawsuit successful the Rose Garden astatine the White House connected April 2, 2025.  (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

It's unclear if Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could besides beryllium impacted by cuts, arsenic the Trump medication prioritizes closing the borderline and deporting transgression amerciable immigrants.

Politico reported that the memo did not exempt immoderate agencies from the buyout offer. 

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Fox News Digital besides reached retired to DHS for remark connected the reported worker exit plans.