In a significant realignment of federal resources, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has taken over approximately 390,000 square feet of office space previously occupied by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, D.C. This move reflects the Trump administration’s strategic shift to prioritize domestic security and immigration enforcement over international aid initiatives.
The reallocation of USAID’s headquarters follows a comprehensive restructuring of the agency, placing it under the direct oversight of the State Department, led by Secretary Marco Rubio. This restructuring aims to streamline foreign aid distribution and ensure alignment with the administration’s foreign policy objectives.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller emphasized the administration’s unwavering commitment to border security, stating, “The full might of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, and every element and instrument of national power will be used to remove with speed all criminal illegals from the soil of the United States.”
In its initial weeks, the administration has deported approximately 11,000 illegal aliens and has identified facilities, including the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, to detain deportees pending repatriation. Concurrently, illegal border crossings have significantly decreased, with 61,465 apprehensions reported in January—a 36% decline from the previous month.
This strategic reorganization underscores the administration’s focus on reinforcing national security and addressing immigration challenges, marking a pivotal shift in the allocation of federal resources and agency functions.