Federal judge won't immediately block Elon Musk or DOGE from federal data or worker layoffs - By Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press
A federal judge refused Tuesday to immediately block billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing government data systems or participating in worker layoffs.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan found that there are legitimate questions about Musk's authority, but said there isn't evidence of the kind of grave legal harm that would justify a temporary restraining order.
The decision came in a lawsuit filed by 14 Democratic states challenging DOGE's authority to access sensitive government data. The attorneys general argued that Musk is wielding the kind of power that the Constitution says can only be held by those who are elected or confirmed by the Senate.
The Trump administration, for its part, has maintained that layoffs are coming from agency heads, and asserted that despite his public cheering of the effort Musk isn't directly running DOGE's day-to-day operations himself.
DOGE has tapped into computer systems across multiple agencies with the blessing of President Donald Trump, digging into budgets and searching for what he calls waste, fraud and abuse, even as a growing number of lawsuits allege DOGE is violating the law.
Chutkan recognized the concerns of the group of states, which include New Mexico and Arizona.
"DOGE's unpredictable actions have resulted in considerable uncertainty and confusion," she wrote. Their questions about Musk's apparent "unchecked authority" and lack of Congressional oversight for DOGE are legitimate and they may be able to successfully argue them later.
Still, at this point, it remains unclear exactly how DOGE's work will affect the states, and judges can only issue court orders to block specific, immediate harms, she found.
Chutkan, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, previously oversaw the now-dismissed criminal election interference case against Trump in Washington, D.C.
Texas measles cases are up, and New Mexico now has an outbreak. Here's what you need to know - By Devi Shastri and Morgan Lee, Associated Press
The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has grown to 58 cases as of Tuesday, and eight people in neighboring eastern New Mexico also have been diagnosed with measles.
New Mexico health department spokesman Robert Nott said Tuesday that the agency hadn't "identified any direct contact" between cases in its state and cases in Texas.
Measles is a highly contagious disease. Here's what you should know about how to protect yourself against measles, as well as what's happening in Texas and New Mexico.
WHERE IS MEASLES SPREADING?
The West Texas cases are concentrated in Gaines County, which has 45 infections. Terry County to the north has nine confirmed cases, while Lubbock and Lynn counties have a case each and Yoakum County has two.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said Monday that 13 people are hospitalized with measles.
State health officials say this outbreak is Texas' largest in nearly 30 years. Health department spokeswoman Lara Anton said last week that cases have been concentrated in a "close-knit, undervaccinated" Mennonite community — especially among families who attend small private religious schools or are homeschooled.
The New Mexico cases are in Lea County, which borders Gaines County in Texas. The cases include a family of five that's in isolation, the state health department said Tuesday, but none of those infected have needed to be hospitalized. Six people who have measles are not vaccinated, officials said.
New Mexico officials also said people may have been exposed at a grocery store, an elementary school, a church, Nor-Lea Hospital and a Walgreens in Hobbs.
WHAT IS MEASLES?
Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most kids will recover from the measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
IS THE VACCINE SAFE?
Yes, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and highly effective in preventing measles infection and severe cases of the disease.
The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide.
Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, the U.S. saw some 3 million to 4 million cases per year. Now, it's usually fewer than 200 in a normal year.
There is no link between the vaccine and autism, despite a now-discredited study and health disinformation.
WHY DO VACCINATION RATES MATTER?
In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called "herd immunity."
But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.
The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.
Gaines County has one of the highest rates in Texas of school-aged children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% of K-12 children in the 2023-24 school year. Health officials say that number is likely higher because it doesn't include many children who are homeschooled and whose data would not be reported.
WHAT ARE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS DOING TO STOP THE SPREAD?
Health workers are hosting regular vaccination clinic and screening efforts in Texas. They are also working with schools to educate people about the importance of vaccination and offering shots.
New Mexico medical providers are being urged to watch for and report measles infections, while state health authorities are attempting to trace and notify people who may have been exposed. The state health department is also doing free vaccination clinics in Hobbs and Lovington this week.
NM Supreme Court stands by DEI - By Source New Mexico
In a statement released Tuesday, the New Mexico Supreme Court reaffirmed its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion within the justice system.
The court’s statement comes amid the Trump administration’s actions cutting DEI initiatives and funding.
The Court opened a public letter by observing that the wood above where the justices sit in the courtroom has the words “Dedicated to the Administration of Equal Justice Under Law” carved into it.
“For 123 years, these words have served as a guidepost to the Justices and a promise to all New Mexico,” the Court wrote. “As we face challenges and pushback at the federal level against inclusivity efforts, the Supreme Court of New Mexico affirms our commitment to these values. As stewards of justice, we recognize that a just legal system must reflect and respect the diverse
communities that it serves.”
“We remain devoted to eliminating barriers to justice, promoting equal access, and ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity and fairness regardless of race, ethnicity, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, indigency status, physical, mental, or developmental disability or condition, age, English language proficiency, parenting status, or pregnancy.”
Read the full letter here.
A news release from the Administrative Office of the Courts noted that the creation of its Commission on Equity and Justice in 2020, followed by:
- an order requiring state courts to use an individual’s name and their designated personal pronouns and salutations.
- a statewide Equity, Inclusion and Justice Program within the Administrative Office of the Courts that has made presentations to magistrate, municipal, probate and district court judges to help them identify and address inequity in the judicial process.
Two bills to make life easier for renters are headed to NM House floor - By Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
Bills that would crack down on rent price-gouging and expunge old eviction records successfully cleared their second committee hearings Monday evening and are now headed to the House floor for consideration.
House Bill 215, sponsored by Reps. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) and Angelica Romero (D-Las Cruces), prohibits the use of artificial intelligence to manipulate rent prices. The bill seeks to prevent out-of-state companies from using an algorithm to coordinate rent prices, which has been done in other areas with housing shortages.
Committee Chair Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos), in announcing her support of the bill, compared it to the ways airlines use “dynamic pricing” for tickets to maximize profits in periods of high demand.
“It’s all in this algorithm. A black box. It’s run by a company, and they can help the landlord squeeze out every penny in a profit,” she said. “I do think we need to start getting a handle on this stuff.”
The committee passed the bill, a substitute for an earlier version, on a 6-4 vote. The new version specifies that algorithms used by governments or for research are exempt.
Later Monday evening, the committee passed another bill that would expunge eviction records for an aspiring tenant after five years. That bill passed 5-4.
Sponsors Rep. Janelle Anyanonu (D-Albuquerque) and Rep. Wonda Johnson (D-Church Rock) said the bill is necessary to help renters move past an old eviction and into stable housing.
Now that they’ve passed the House Judiciary Committee, both bills now head to the House Floor.
Another bill, also of interest to renters, would prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to tenants who receive Section 8 or other subsidies. So-called “source of income discrimination” ordinances have been adopted in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and other cities.
House Bill 339, also sponsored by Reps. Rubio and Romero, is on the calendar today at 1:30 p.m. in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. It’s been introduced for the last several years but tabled.
Former Las Cruces mayor says he’s eyeing a run for governor - By Nicole Maxwell, New Mexico Political Report
Former Las Cruces mayor Ken Miyagishima, a Democrat, is thinking about running for governor.
Miyagishima, whose political days in Doña Ana County go back to 1992, is thinking about opening an exploratory committee to see about his viability as a candidate.
Candidates in New Mexico are not required to create exploratory committees, but Miyagishima feels like he needs more input before throwing his hat in the ring.
“Candidacy may not be there, but I would at least like to look at it from that point of view,” Miyagishima told NM Political Report via telephone on Tuesday. “I want to help change the environment here in New Mexico and hopefully that would lead to a better life for our residents. And I feel like I need to at least give it a try.”
If Miyagishima decides to run for governor he said he would try to help with people’s issues of financial security, homelessness, housing affordability — including renting a property versus owning it — and tackling crime.
Miyagishima was elected to the Doña Ana County Commission becoming the first Mexican-American of Japanese descent to hold public office in New Mexico. He was re-elected in 1996. He was commission chairman twice in both those terms.
He then successfully ran for Las Cruces City Council in 2001 and won re-election in 2006. The following year, he was elected Las Cruces mayor and was the longest-serving mayor in Las Cruces’ history, serving four consecutive four-year terms.
Miyagishima is one of several people who have either announced their candidacy or noted their interest in a possible run.
Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a Democrat, announced she was officially running for governor and is currently on a campaign blitz across the state through March 2.
Republican Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull is also contemplating a run for governor in 2026 and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman is rumored to be running, but has publicly said he is currently focused on his job as a prosecutor.
The 2026 gubernatorial election is still about 16 months away.
As Legislature debates improving university boards, NM Gov names brother as NMHU student regent - Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
While the Legislature debates several bills aimed at reforming New Mexico university governance, including the selection process for the boards overseeing them, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has continued putting forward her picks to go before the state Senate for confirmation hearings.
One of them, Gregory Lawrence Lujan, is her brother. If confirmed by the Senate, he’ll become the student regent at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M. In a statement to Source New Mexico, the governor said she encouraged her brother to apply.
“I asked him to serve because I know he’ll do an outstanding job for New Mexico Highlands University. He’s exactly the kind of person we want in these roles,” she said through a spokesperson.
Lawrence, in a brief interview with Source on Friday, declined to comment at length, but confirmed he was up for the two-year stint as student regent.
Student regents have the same voting powers as other board members, but they must first apply to the university president, who makes a recommendation to the governor’s office. Other aspiring regents apply directly to the governor’s office. The gig is unpaid, though they do get per diem for travel.
Highlands President Neil Wolff did not respond to a request for comment about why he chose Lujan. Current Highlands regents told Source New Mexico they didn’t know Lujan, whom they described as being in his 60s, was a student until the governor named him.
Board Chairman Bill Garcia told Source he’s since learned Lujan has been a student for a couple of years, and regent Frank Sanchez said he sees no reason why Lujan wouldn’t be a great regent.
“He’s a student, apparently a good student, so I think he’s just as qualified,” Sanchez said. “If he has those qualifications, I don’t see why he’d be eliminated from the process.”
The governor said her brother is on the Dean’s List, gets straight As and “brings real-world experiences to the position.” She also said he embodies the purpose of the Opportunity Scholarship Fund, which provides free tuition to undergraduates statewide and is “helping college students of all ages achieve their educational goals.”
The governor’s brother is among 14 regent picks the governor has announced in a news release or sent to the Senate for consideration since early January.
Sens. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces) and Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque) have sponsored a joint resolution that proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the governor to select regent picks from a list provided by a nominating committee at each university.
Student regents would not be affected by the amendment, Steinborn said, because they have their own process outlined in the state constitution. He said he’s withholding any judgment about the governor’ brother until hecomes up for confirmation.
“The constitution creates a special process for the student regent,” he said. “That’s the important thing to look at: Was the process followed?”
Lawmakers and the New Mexico Attorney General have taken aim at university governance following a spending scandal at Western New Mexico University. There, the regents approved of a $1.9 million payout to outgoing university president Joseph Shepard, who is accused of wasteful spending. Several regents resigned in the aftermath.
Attorney General Raul Torrez’s office did not respond to a request for comment about Lujan’s appointment.
Other bills aim to increase transparency and accountability in university spending, require regents to have fiduciary responsibility and require regents to undergo financial training.
If Lujan is confirmed by the Senate, he’ll serve as student regent until Dec. 31, 2026. It’s not clear when his confirmation hearing is set. The governor called on the Senate to confirm him.
“I know Greg will make Highlands University proud through his service,” she said in the statement. “I look forward to the New Mexico Senate’s confirmation of Greg and our other outstanding regent nominees during the 60-day legislative session.”
U.S. Attorney for New Mexico resigns at Trump's request - By Colleen Heild, Albuquerque Journal
The top federal prosecutor leading the ongoing investigation into a sprawling public corruption scheme involving the dismissal of hundreds of DWI cases in New Mexico has been terminated.
U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, Alexander Uballez, said he received notice of his firing by the Trump administration in his personal email account Monday afternoon. That came after he was stripped of his government cellphone and computer access last Friday without prior notice or explanation. He is among more than 20 other holdovers who were asked to step down as U.S. Attorneys.
His removal by the Trump administration wasn't a surprise, given the fact that U.S. Attorneys are political appointees. As a longtime state and federal prosecutor, he was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022.
"Today, I say farewell to a Department that I love," Uballez said in a statement. "Together we have made our community safer by delivering swift and certain justice to the most prolific violent offenders, human and drug traffickers, and child abusers. We have saved lives by intervening to prevent violence and by supporting those who strive to return to our community from incarceration."
"Most importantly," Uballez stated, "We fought to build a community united in the pursuit of justice for all by choosing prevention before punishment, delivering consequences but not indignity, and seeking redemption not isolation."
In a statement Monday, Raul Bujanda,FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque field office, praised Uballez as an "incredible partner in our mission to protect the American public. There is no doubt his work has made a positive impact on our community."
In New Mexico, the U.S. Attorney's office oversees immigration enforcement and prosecutes certain crimes aimed at reducing violent crime and protecting Native American communities.
But about 16 months after he was confirmed by the Senate in May 2022, Uballez opened an inquiry into one of the largest public corruption schemes to hit New Mexico. The evidence later showed, the criminal operation eluded detection for nearly 30 years.
The massive FBI investigation initially focused on allegations that officers with the Albuquerque Police Department's DWI unit were intentionally missing court and withholding evidence. The officers were working with Albuquerque lawyer Thomas Clear to get his clients' charges thrown out. In return, according to guilty pleas received so far, the officers received cash, gifts and even a set of tires.
As the inquiry progressed, the allegations of wrongdoing spread to DWI officers with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department and the New Mexico State Police. Prosecutors court filings also mention at least one other DWI attorney involved in the scheme, which dated back to the mid-1990s.
At Uballez's urging, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office in January 2024 eventually dismissed more than 200 pending DWI cases involving the officers because their credibility might be at issue. There's been no estimate as to how many DWI suspects' cases were dismissed or never filed as a result of the scheme dubbed the "DWI Enterprise" by federal prosecutors.
So far, Clear, his law firm's investigator, and three former APD officers have pleaded guilty to bribery and racketeering charges, with Uballez just last week declaring the investigation would continue.
"....We are not done digging," he said at the time, and in an apparent message to others not yet indicted, Uballez added, "Now is the time to come clean -- if you were ever involved in this deceit, now is the time to come to the table."
Uballez said his departure shouldn't affect the ongoing prosecution of additional law enforcement officers and others involved in what has been dubbed the "DWI Enterprise." In a Journal interview, he noted that his office's career staff is not changing. His first assistant U.S. attorney Holland Kastrin is now serving as acting U.S. Attorney. There was no word on who the Trump administration will nominate as the next U.S. Attorney for New Mexico.
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque field office, Raul Bujanda, praised Uballez as an "incredible partner in our mission to protect the American public. There is no doubt his work has made a positive impact on our community."
NM House passes public safety package - By Source New Mexico
On Saturday, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed a six-bill package of public safety legislation on a 48-20 vote, sending the bills to the Senate.
House Bill 8 includes several components, including: enhanced penalties for fentanyl trafficking; increased fourth-degree felony charge for making a shooting threat; criminalization for possession of a weapon conversion device; increased penalties for vehicle thefts; legislation to make it easier for police to conduct blood tests in DWI cases; and a controversial criminal competency bill that prompted criticism last week from a coalition of community organizations, which described said the package of legislation “focuses on new crimes, increased punishments, and forced hospitalization.”
Following the House passage, its co-sponsors and House leaders released statements lauding their work. “We are taking a thoughtful, holistic approach to make New Mexicans safer,” Rep. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque), co-sponsor of the competency legislation, said. “This public safety package will help us address the pressing issues facing our communities today, and our investments in behavioral healthcare, housing, prevention, and treatment will help us to tackle the root causes of crime.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who traveled the state in advance of the session building support for her public safety agenda, also released a statement following the House package, which she described as “a first step towards ensuring accountability for criminals and updating our criminal competency and civil commitment procedures. While it is an important step forward, our work isn’t finished. I urge the Legislature to advance the remaining public safety bills. Each day that passes without action means more people get hurt and neighborhoods suffer. Get these public safety bills to my desk now—our communities deserve real protection, not more excuses. I will not stop until New Mexicans feel safe.”
Other crime bills still making their way through the legislative process include House Bill 12, which makes changes to the state’s extreme firearm protection law, as well as bills related to human trafficking, behavioral health and crime victims, among others.
Prior to the session, House Democrats previewed their public safety agenda, which also includes a a $200 million toward expanding the state’s behavioral healthcare infrastructure, which the Senate passed on Friday and will now proceed through the House committee process.
“We promised to work closely with our colleagues in the Senate to develop well-vetted solutions to the public safety and behavioral health challenges facing our state and we are delivering on that promise,” Speaker of the House Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) said in a statement over the weekend. “By working together to pass good legislation, rather than trying to score political points, we can make our communities safer and ensure that New Mexicans who are struggling can get the help they need.”
Senate approves behavioral health package on bipartisan vote, sends bills to House - By Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
A sweeping plan to overhaul New Mexico’s mental health and substance abuse treatment system is headed to the state House with bipartisan momentum.
The Senate voted Friday to approve three bills establishing a new behavioral health trust fund and requiring regional plans for crisis triage units, mobile responders and more.
The package of bills, Senate Bills 1, 2 and 3, passed with broad support, two of them on 37-5 votes and the third on a similar 37-4 vote. Most of the “no” votes were cast by Republican senators.
“This is a huge change from the way we’ve done things in the past,” said Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, during Friday’s debate.
This year’s push comes more than a decade after former Gov. Susana Martinez upended New Mexico’s behavioral system in 2013, freezing Medicaid funding to 15 providers over fraud and overbilling. All the accused providers were later cleared of wrongdoing.
Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho, said the Martinez administration had “decimated” the state’s behavioral health system, a claim many Democratic lawmakers have also made in recent years.
“Today, we’re here to do what’s right to fix a problem,” Block said.
Behavioral health has emerged as a key issue during the 60-day legislative session that will reach its halfway point next week, as lawmakers look for ways to reduce violent crime, homelessness and drug use.
New Mexico has one of the nation’s highest suicide rates, and more than one-third of state residents reported anxiety or a depressive disorder in 2023, according to Kaiser Family Foundation data.
During Friday’s debate, several senators spoke about their own families’ experiences with mental health and addiction issues.
Sen. Martin Hickey, D-Albuquerque, mentioned his children’s sobriety struggles, saying, “Rare is a family that doesn’t have this, and it cuts across all spectrums.”
Sen. Liz Stefanics, D-Cerrillos, estimated half of New Mexicans will at some point come into contact with the state’s behavioral health system, either due to mental health or substance abuse issues.
“We know there’s a vast population,” Stefanics said.
GOVERNOR LARGELY ON BOARD WITH PLAN
Under the plan approved Friday, the state judiciary would take on a larger role in approving regional behavioral health plans, while the state Health Care Authority would remain in charge of overseeing funding.
That would be a significant change from the current system, which largely falls under the executive branch’s jurisdiction.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently expressed misgivings about the judicial branch’s readiness to shoulder a heavier oversight role.
But the Governor’s Office indicated Friday those concerns have largely been resolved after negotiations with legislators and Supreme Court Chief Justice David Thomson.
Meanwhile, some changes were also made to the behavioral health package before the full Senate vote, including removing a $1 billion appropriation for the new proposed trust fund.
Money for the new fund is now expected to be provided in a separate budget bill during this year’s 60-day session, though Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said it’s unlikely the appropriation will end up hitting the $1 billion mark this year.
While most senators expressed support for the trust fund plan, Sen. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said the money should be put to work now instead of set aside for future use.
“We have a permanent income stream — it’s called taxes,” Maestas said.
Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal - By Tara Copp and Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press
The Trump administration has halted the firings of hundreds of federal employees who were tasked with working on the nation's nuclear weapons programs, in an about-face that has left workers confused and experts cautioning that DOGE's blind cost cutting will put communities at risk.
Three U.S. officials who spoke to The Associated Press said up to 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were abruptly laid off late Thursday, with some losing access to email before they'd learned they were fired, only to try to enter their offices on Friday morning to find they were locked out. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
One of the hardest hit offices was the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, which saw about 30% of the cuts. Those employees work on reassembling warheads, one of the most sensitive jobs across the nuclear weapons enterprise, with the highest levels of clearance.
The hundreds let go at NNSA were part of a DOGE purge across the Department of Energy that targeted about 2,000 employees.
"The DOGE people are coming in with absolutely no knowledge of what these departments are responsible for," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, referencing Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency team. "They don't seem to realize that it's actually the department of nuclear weapons more than it is the Department of Energy."
By late Friday night, the agency's acting director, Teresa Robbins, issued a memo rescinding the firings for all but 28 of those hundreds of fired staff members.
"This letter serves as formal notification that the termination decision issued to you on Feb. 13, 2025 has been rescinded, effective immediately," said the memo, which was obtained by the AP.
The accounts from the three officials contradict an official statement from the Department of Energy, which said fewer than 50 National Nuclear Security Administration staffers were let go, calling them "probationary employees" who "held primarily administrative and clerical roles."
But that wasn't the case. The firings prompted one NNSA senior staffer to post a warning and call to action.
"This is a pivotal moment. We must decide whether we are truly committed to leading on the world stage or if we are content with undermining the very systems that secure our nation's future," deputy division director Rob Plonski posted to LinkedIn. "Cutting the federal workforce responsible for these functions may be seen as reckless at best and adversarily opportunistic at worst."
While some of the Energy Department employees who were fired dealt with energy efficiency and the effects of climate change, issues not seen as priorities by the Trump administration, many others dealt with nuclear issues, even if they didn't directly work on weapons programs. This included managing massive radioactive waste sites and ensuring the material there doesn't further contaminate nearby communities.
That incudes the Savannah River National Laboratory in Jackson, South Carolina; the Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington state, where workers secure 177 high-level waste tanks from the site's previous work producing plutonium for the atomic bomb; and the Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee, a Superfund contamination site where much of the early work on the Manhattan Project was done, among others.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, both Democrats, called the firings last week "utterly callous and dangerous."
The NNSA staff who had been reinstated could not all be reached after they were fired, and some were reconsidering whether to return to work, given the uncertainty created by DOGE.
Many federal employees who had worked on the nation's nuclear programs had spent their entire careers there, and there was a wave of retirements in recent years that cost the agency years of institutional knowledge.
But it's now in the midst of a major $750 billion nuclear weapons modernization effort — including new land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, new stealth bombers and new submarine-launched warheads. In response, the labs have aggressively hired over the past few years: In 2023, 60% of the workforce had been there five years or less.
Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the firings could disrupt the day-to-day workings of the agency and create a sense of instability over the nuclear program both at home and abroad.
"I think the signal to U.S. adversaries is pretty clear: throw a monkey wrench in the whole national security apparatus and cause disarray," he said. "That can only benefit the adversaries of this country."