Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials conducted extensive “walkthrough” tours of USAid headquarters on Monday while employees of the international aid agency remained barred from entering the building, according to three USAid staffers familiar with the matter.
The alleged surveying of the office fuels speculation that CBP plans to take over USAid’s office space, just days after its signage was removed from the building and following the termination of the agency’s lease by the Trump administration.
CBP and USAid already have office space at the same address, which is the Ronald Reagan building.
One staffer told the Guardian they observed dozens of people with CBP, the General Service Administration (GSA) – the agency in charge of leasing government spaces – and the office of inspector general entering the office throughout the day.
“Someone came up to us at one point and asked, ‘Oh, is this USAid? We’re here for the walkthrough,’” the staffer said. “Meanwhile, our stuff is still there, and we’re not allowed to get it.”
The staffer also reported seeing non-USAid officials removing office equipment, including “wheeling a printer on a swivel chair into an elevator”.
The possible takeover also appears to defy a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued last week against the agency’s closure. Late on Monday night, employees received a text message, obtained by the Guardian, referring to the building as “former USAid headquarters” – language that was quickly cited in a recent legal complaint by the American Foreign Service Association against the Trump administration.
“Beyond non-compliance with the TRO, factual developments that occurred immediately before and in the wake of the 7 February hearing also suggest that the government intends to continue taking potentially irreversible actions to dismantle the agency before the court can adjudicate the lawfulness of those actions on the merits,” the complaint read.
CBP, which enforces immigration laws and operates at US borders and ports of entry, has emerged as a centerpiece of Trump’s plans to reshape federal agencies. The administration has long signaled it will dramatically expand CBP’s authority and resources while cutting foreign aid programs.
The apparent office space assessment also comes during unprecedented turmoil at USAid. The Trump administration is reportedly planning to keep about 611 USAid staffers, down from more than 10,000 employees.
Last week, thousands of employees were suddenly locked out of their email accounts and building access without formal notice. While some access was restored following legal action by employee unions, most staff remain unable to enter the headquarters building.
A temporary restraining order was issued on Friday regarding the agency’s administrative leave policy and the recall of overseas personnel. However, questions remain about the status of USAid’s physical headquarters and employees’ personal belongings still inside the building.
USAid staff who attempted to enter the building on Monday were told only a handful of pre-approved agency employees were permitted access, according to staffers who were there.
USAid, CBP and the GSA did not return a request for comment.
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