This week, the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is poised for a historic shake-up. Hundreds of employees are facing the possibility of forced departures, early retirements, or buyouts, part of a sweeping effort by the Trump administration to dramatically reduce the agency’s workforce.
Inside CISA, the mood has turned tense and uncertain. Staff members were given until April 14 to voluntarily accept one of several exit packages, including up to $25,000 in severance or early retirement offers. Those who didn’t sign on may now face forced layoffs.
“If you don’t take the payout, you might not even have a job next week,” one CISA employee told ISMG, describing the atmosphere as “tumultuous” and “extremely unnerving.”
What’s being cut — and why
At the heart of the cuts is Executive Assistant Director Karen Evans, who sources say has been pushing the hardest for changes. Critics inside and outside the agency say these changes could gut CISA’s capacity to defend the nation against cyber threats.
“Karen is taking a hatchet to CISA,” said one individual familiar with internal decision-making.
Sources indicate that as many as 1,300 CISA positions — nearly 40% of its workforce — are on the chopping block. The agency’s National Risk Management Center and Stakeholder Engagement Division are among the teams expected to face deep cuts.
These changes come as part of a broader push by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an office championed by Elon Musk, to reduce federal staffing and spending across agencies.
Political and security alarms ringing
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are raising red flags.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security cyber subcommittee, sent a strongly worded letter to CISA leadership warning that the changes were being made in secrecy and could leave America dangerously exposed to cyberattacks.
“It is difficult to convey in writing the full extent of my concern regarding the rumored plans to decimate CISA,” Swalwell wrote. “But it suffices to say that upending an agency that plays such an important role in defending the homeland while keeping Congress in the dark is wholly unacceptable.”
Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, who once helped oversee cyber operations in the Navy, echoed those fears. In an earlier interview, he told The Register that the firings and funding cuts “harm national security on a daily basis.”
Experts warn that foreign adversaries such as Russia and China could exploit a weakened U.S. cyber defense system. James Curtis, a cybersecurity expert and former Air Force officer, told Politico, “It’s open season on the U.S., …we are unilaterally making the environment a good hunting season for them.”
The argument for workforce cuts
The shake-up doesn’t stop at CISA. Other DHS agencies — like FEMA, ICE, and Customs and Border Protection — are also reportedly facing cuts. While law enforcement roles are exempt from the current round of voluntary exits, the scope of the downsizing is expected to impact how quickly and effectively DHS can respond to both digital and physical threats.
According to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the agency aims to “reshape” its workforce to better align with evolving priorities. A senior DHS spokesperson noted, “The American people deserve a government that works for them, something President Trump has promised. Every dollar spent and position filled at DHS should be focused on our core mission of securing our homeland and keeping the American people safe.”
What happens next?
With the deadline passed, the focus shifts to how many employees took the buyout and how many will be forced out. If not enough employees leave voluntarily, mass layoffs could follow.
