Overview

• The State Department eliminated 1,353 Washington-based positions, representing about 15% of its staff and marking the largest reduction in decades.
• The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons saw its workforce slashed to roughly 35 employees, about one-third of its January size.
• The annual trafficking report required by Congress was not released by the June 30 deadline amid the staffing cuts.
• Last week’s Supreme Court decision removed a federal injunction that had halted Secretary Rubio’s reorganization plan since April.
• Officials defended the overhaul as a way to remove outdated or duplicative offices; experts warn it risks eroding critical expertise and undermining global anti-trafficking efforts.