For decades, the federal government has been a cornerstone of economic stability for Black workers, offering steady employment, benefits, and career advancement opportunities often unavailable in the private sector. However, sweeping job cuts under the Trump administration, led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, are rapidly dismantling this essential pathway to the middle class.
“The federal workforce was a means to help build the Black middle class. It hired Black Americans at a higher rate than private employers,” said Sheria Smith, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 252, which represents Education Department employees.
Disproportionate Impact on Black Workers
Recent mass layoffs, buyouts, and terminations have disproportionately affected Black employees across multiple federal agencies. At least 75,000 government employees have accepted buyout offers, with thousands more dismissed in recent weeks. Many of those let go were recent hires or were terminated due to alleged performance issues.
The Department of Education, a key target for closure under Trump’s agenda, has seen significant layoffs. According to Smith, 74 workers at the department were let go—60 of whom were Black.
At the Department of Health and Human Services, where 1,300 new hires were cut, 20% of the workforce was Black. Similarly, the Department of Veterans Affairs, which recently laid off 1,000 employees, saw 24% of its Black staff displaced.
These figures underscore the crucial role that federal employment has played in Black economic mobility, said Marcus Casey, a fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Economic Studies program.
“Whether it was through the post office, the direct expansion of federal agencies, or the military, the government has historically countered the private sector’s discriminatory hiring practices,” Casey said. “The federal government has been instrumental in building the Black middle class.”
Low Morale and Job Insecurity
A worker at the VA in Houston, who spoke anonymously due to fear of retaliation, described a workplace filled with anxiety and uncertainty.
“Morale is so low,” he said. “People who should be here are gone. Everyone is nervous about the next round of layoffs.”
He had hoped to retire after 20 or 25 years of service but now questions whether he will make it. “Every indication is that my job will be on the chopping block sooner or later. How can anyone be productive with that hanging over them?”
The Undoing of DEI and Federal Workforce Cuts
The federal job cuts began with the dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in hiring, with Trump branding them a “destructive ideology.” However, these reductions have extended beyond DEI-focused positions, disproportionately impacting Black employees across federal agencies.
“A lot of Black people not only benefited from what is now called DEI but also from the original affirmative action programs and veteran hiring preferences,” Casey explained. “That combination helped many people establish careers in the civil service.”
With these layoffs, the progress Black workers have made in securing stable, well-paying jobs within the federal government is now at risk, threatening the economic foundation of the Black middle class for years to come.