For Immediate Release
December 2, 2025
Contact: Communications Director Nikki Gamer | Cell #: (978) 884-0003 | gamer@afsa.org

Washington, D.C. – The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) is appalled by the State Department’s decision to finalize the separation of Foreign Service members through reductions in force, effective Dec. 5.

This action flies in the face of the current funding law, which clearly prohibits using any federal resources to carry out layoffs during this period. That includes sending notices, processing paperwork, or taking any step to advance these separations.

The department’s attempt to justify this move with legal interpretations does not change what the law says—or what Congress intended.

This marks a new low in what has been a year of institutional harm. The department has repeatedly taken actions that have demoralized and destabilized its own workforce.

AFSA is working closely with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and will be pursuing legal action.

We urge the State Department to demonstrate respect for the law, for its employees, and for the mission they serve.

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) is the professional association and labor union of the men and women of the United States Foreign Service.