BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — More than 100 workers at the Social Security Administration office in Birmingham have been terminated, Rep. Terri Sewell said Tuesday, as President Donald Trump’s administration accelerates a sweeping purge of federal employees under the guidance of billionaire Elon Musk. The layoffs, part of a broader effort to slash government spending, have sparked outrage among Democrats who warn of devastating consequences for vulnerable Americans.
Sewell, who represents Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, announced the firings on February 25, linking them directly to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, a controversial initiative launched by Trump to dismantle parts of the federal bureaucracy. She later clarified that the cuts affected Social Security Region 4, spanning multiple states including Alabama, though the precise number of Birmingham workers impacted remains under investigation.
The terminations follow a pattern of mass layoffs across federal agencies since Trump took office last month. Reports indicate thousands of probationary employees—those with less than one or two years of service—have been dismissed nationwide, from the Department of Energy to the Veterans Affairs Administration. The White House has touted the cuts as a fulfillment of Trump’s campaign promise to shrink government, with roughly 75,000 workers accepting buyouts and an untold number facing involuntary dismissal.
Critics, including Sewell, argue the reductions threaten essential services like Social Security, which millions of seniors and disabled Americans rely on. The Birmingham office, a key hub for processing claims in the region, now faces potential delays as staff dwindles. Nationwide, the Social Security Administration has not released an official tally of layoffs, leaving uncertainty about the full scope of the damage.
Musk, tapped by Trump to oversee the efficiency push, has defended the cuts as necessary to eliminate waste, though details on how agencies were targeted remain scarce. The administration’s reliance on Musk—an unelected figure with billions in government contracts—has fueled accusations of overreach and cronyism. Federal unions and Democratic lawmakers have decried the process as chaotic, with some firings rescinded only to be reinstated days later.
Sewell’s office is working with the American Federation of Government Employees to confirm the number of affected workers in her district. As of early Wednesday, February 26, no official statement from the Social Security Administration had addressed the Birmingham layoffs specifically. Meanwhile, Trump’s broader workforce reduction shows no signs of slowing, with agencies reporting confusion and plummeting morale.
The fallout in Birmingham underscores a growing divide over Trump’s agenda. Supporters hail the cuts as a bold strike against bureaucracy, while opponents warn they jeopardize the safety net for America’s most vulnerable—just as the administration doubles down on its promise to reshape the federal government in its image.