Federal Job Cuts Leave Thousands of Marylanders Unemployed
The Trump administration’s concerted efforts to reduce federal spending and fire federal workers are being felt across Maryland, especially in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties.
Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) has sued to reinstate these workers, who they argue were illegally fired. He is joined in the suit by several other Attorney Generals, including D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
“President Trump’s unlawful mass firings of federal workers are a blatant attack on the civil service, throwing thousands of hardworking families into financial turmoil,” said Brown in a statement announcing the suit. “Instead of following the law and notifying states, his administration blindsided Maryland, forcing us to deal with the devastating economic fallout and social consequences.”
Brown emphasized the need to take a stand against the president’s decisions, in order to advocate for residents’ needs
“We won’t stand by while he disrupts lives and undermines our state,” said Brown, “which is why I’ve taken legal action to stop these unjustified terminations and protect Marylanders.”
Councilmember Wala Blegay (D- District 6) has cautioned that these firings will worsen the economy, leading to a possible recession and wide-scale home foreclosures.
“Our biggest scare is that if people are not able to land jobs easily after being laid off from the federal government, that they’re not having income coming in, we’re going to start to see a high number of foreclosures,” Blegay told the Bowie Sun.
Councilmember Calvin Hawkins (D) has introduced a bill to create a mortgage foreclosure moratorium, which has been co-sponsored by most of the Council.
“A couple years ago, we had that extended federal shutdown,” said Hawkins. “The number of federal employees who were dealing with (the) mortgage crisis became alarming. So I believe the same reality will become something we will have to address.”
More than 5,000 Marylanders have filed for unemployment since January, and more than 2,000 Marylanders registered for a job fair in College Park that was largely aimed to assist laid off federal workers.
“I left a job I was at for 18 years to come to the federal government,” said laid-off federal worker Lawana Brown during the March 12 job fair. “Only to be let go in less than two years because they thought I’m not good enough.”
Similar job fairs in Anne Arundel, Howard and Frederick counties have had strong turnout as well.
MD CARES (Community, Aid, Resources, Empowerment, Sustainability), a new community coalition to support residents amid job uncertainties, has been formed as a Facebook group and has a Linktree to provide digital resources to laid-off federal workers. This group has shared the information on several recent job fairs.
The Prince George’s County NAACP chapter is partnering with the program.
“Federal employees are crucial in providing essential public services; they offer even-handed expertise to political leaders, ensure consistent service across presidential changes, and uphold their constitutional duty to serve the public,” said Prince George’s County NAACP President Linda Thornton Thomas about the mission of MD CARES. “Given today’s crisis of terminations and furloughs, Prince George’s County NAACP’s role is to provide resources and support to those affected, both now and in the future. Join us in helping others overcome these challenging times.”
Congressman Glenn Ivey Calls for New Senate Leadership, Democratic Leaders Criticize Continuing Resolution
During a spirited town hall in Suitland High School’s auditorium, U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D- District 4) called for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D- NY) to be replaced as the Senate Minority Leader.
“I respect Chuck Schumer. I think he had a great career. But it may be time for Senate Democrats to get a new leader,” said Ivey during the March 17 town hall. “We’ve got a limited number of shots at being able to fight back against the Trump administration and what they’re doing. We can’t afford to miss the moment again.”
Schumer and eight other Democratic Senators recently signed the budget agreement to prevent a government shutdown, despite the concerted effort of House Democrats to oppose the proposal.
Both Democratic U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks voted against the continuing resolution.
“I will be voting ‘No’ on cloture and on the Republican continuing resolution. A continuing resolution will allow President Trump to continue doing what he’s doing: looting our government to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, conducting a witch hunt against our patriotic civil servants, threatening to cut Social Security benefits and Medicaid,” Alsobrooks explained.
The former Prince George’s county executive turned senator cited the negative impact that greater authority for the Trump administration would have on Maryland.
“To allow the president to continue what he’s doing would be in direct contradiction with my mandate: to fight for Marylanders,” Alsobrooks continued. “We have a unique opportunity at this moment to course correct and pass a clean, bipartisan funding bill that would address some of these concerns and mistakes. That is what Marylanders need and deserve in this moment of chaos.”
Ivey represents a congressional district with among the highest percentage of federal workers, whose very livelihoods have been under attack by the Trump administration since his swearing in. He emphasized the sting of the continuing resolution for his constituents.
“The people in my district and around the D.C. metropolitan area are most concerned of the impact on government employees and this is having a devastating impact on the DMV and all around the country and 80% of government employees live outside the Washington area,” Congressman Ivey explained.
Schumer argued that closing the federal government would have been too great a risk to accept.
“I want to fight, and we are fighting. We are going to fight every day on this – every day,” said Schumer. “I understand we want to stick it to them. We’re going to stick it to them and fight smart and win.”
While other members of Congress have murmured about new leadership, Ivey’s call for Schumer to step aside is one of the most outspoken statements thus far from House Democrats. Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (D- Ill.) nodded in agreement when asked if Schumer should step down from his position.
Ivey’s call to replace Schumer has been echoed at a Baltimore town hall attended by both of Maryland’s Senators, and the Prince George’s County Young Democrats have also released a statement calling for new leadership in Congress’ upper chamber.
Democrats stretching the ideological and generational divide from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have criticized the decision of Senate Democrats to pass the continuing resolution.
“I myself don’t give away anything for nothing,” said Pelosi when asked why she didn’t agree with the decision of Schumer and several other Senate Democrats to sign on to the continuing resolution. “We could have, in my view, perhaps, gotten them to agree to a third way.”
