Burning Files: USAID's Document Destruction

USAID staff were given a peculiar task. They were asked to shred and burn classified documents. This wasn't a usual request. It was part of a larger plan to clear out classified safes and personnel documents from a Washington DC office. The task was to be completed in an all-day disposal event. This event was organized by Acting Executive Secretary Erica Y Carr. The request to shred and burn documents raised eyebrows. It was unusual for staff to be asked to handle documents in this way. Normally, documents are sealed in burn bags and taken to a secure site for incineration. The email sent by Carr asked staff to label the bags with "SECRET" and "USAID (B/IO)" using permanent markers. This was to ensure that the documents were properly identified. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), a union representing USAID staff, was alarmed by the reports. They warned that such documents "may be relevant to ongoing litigation regarding the termination of USAID employees and the cessation of USAID grants". The union also noted that federal law dictates that government records must be preserved. The destruction of federal records could carry serious legal consequences.

The Federal Records Act of 1950 sets out guidelines for the proper disposal of documents. It includes creating backup or archival records, including electronic records. The email sent by Carr did not contain some of the details traditionally found in a records disposal request. This raised concerns about procedure. Experts noted that there was no indication in the email order that any thought was being given to proper retention or even identifying which records can be destroyed and which records cannot. USAID was one of the first targets of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). This agency was established by the Trump administration to root out what they viewed as waste and fraud in the federal bureaucracy. Billionaire Elon Musk is helping lead the agency. Musk referred to the agency as "evil" and the White House has argued that the agency's international programmes were a wasteful use of taxpayer dollars. Over a few dramatic weeks, the agency was essentially shut down, with thousands of employees being laid off or placed on administrative leave.

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