AFSA NEWS AFSA NEWSTHE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH-APRIL 2026 55 Continued on page 60 At the Breaking Point (Part II) AFSA’s study, “At the Breaking Point: The State of the U.S. Foreign Service in 2025,” generated much interest in the press—including The New York Times and NPR— and within our community when it was published in December 2025. In addition to telling us what’s going wrong in the Foreign Service at the present moment, members surveyed for the study spoke about what matters most in their FS careers and where they hope to see positive change. AFSA is now starting the second step of our FS reform discussion: Where do we go from here, and what will the FS look like in the next several years? Make no mistake: The future of the Service is at risk. This administration has made its desire to undercut the institution clear. There are those whose goal is to fatally Over the past year, AFSA has been engaged in a broad set of legal actions aimed at defending the Foreign Service and the institutions that support U.S. diplomacy. These four lawsuits stem from different executive actions, but they are unified by a common purpose: ensuring that changes affecting Foreign Service personnel, labor rights, and core foreign policy institutions comply with the law, respect congressional authority, and preserve the government’s ability to carry out diplomacy effectively. While court proceedings can be complex, the central questions in each case are straightforward. Who has the authority to make these decisions, and what protections do Foreign Service professionals have under the law? Below we give a brief summary of each lawsuit in which AFSA is involved. American Federation of Government Employees, AFL CIO v. United States Office of Management and Budget (Northern District of California) The most recent lawsuit addresses an immediate and concrete threat to Foreign Service members: reductions in force (RIFs) implemented during a period when Congress explicitly CALENDAR Please check afsa.org/events for the most up-to-date information. March 12 12-1 p.m. A Federal Employee’s Guide to Financial Peace of Mind Webinar March 18 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting April 15 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting April 30 Foreign Service Day Open House May 1 AFSA Memorial Plaque Ceremony Update on AFSA’s Legal Actions barred them. In early December 2025, AFSA joined a case brought by other federal unions challenging actions by the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management, and several other federal agencies, including the Department of State. The plaintiffs argue that agencies moved forward with RIFs despite a Continuing Resolution (CR) prohibiting any such actions between November 12, 2025, and January 30, 2026, and requiring agencies to rescind RIF notices tied to that period. For Foreign Service members, the case centered on halting planned separations by RIF scheduled for December 5. Within days of AFSA joining the lawsuit, a federal court issued a temporary restraining order blocking those separations, and the government subsequently filed declarations stating that it was complying with the court’s order. The case then moved into its next phase, with AFSA and the other plaintiffs seeking longer-term relief. Following oral argument on the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction (PI), the court granted the plaintiffs’ request to extend the protections in place while the litigation continues. Continued on page 62 U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) delivers remarks during the Protect America’s Workforce Act rally on January 14, 2026. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO
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