Another round of layoffs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday pushed the total number of job cuts to 2,400 in less than a month.
This latest round affected 1,400 employees in alleged non-critical roles, including positions tied to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), according to USA Today.
While positions deemed “mission critical,” like those in the Veterans Crisis Line, were supposed to remain unaffected, sources revealed that 15 employees from the Crisis Line were let go, including a social services assistant handling emergency dispatch. This wave of layoffs hit harder than the first, which saw only a dozen employees fired.
Although the VA initially denied layoffs within the Crisis Line, reports indicated that several employees had lost their jobs. Senators, including Tammy Duckworth, raised concerns, and some employees may be reinstated after the issue was raised by lawmakers.
The cuts, orchestrated by President Trump and his advisor Elon Musk, have drawn criticism. Many argue that firing employees in essential roles, including those in nuclear security and disaster response, was reckless and done without proper warning.
