The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs underwent another extensive purge of employees at the hands of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Monday.
The 1,400 workers laid off brought the total amount of layoffs to 2,400 layoffs in the past month.
Monday’s round of layoffs targeted “bargaining-unit probationary employees" in "non-mission critical roles," including "DEI-related positions,” according to a statement by the VA.
Workers who man the VA’s Veterans Crisis Line are conversely labeled as “mission critical” roles in the statement, but one crisis line employee reported 15 of their coworkers getting let go, according to USA Today.
A congressional aide also commenting on crisis line employees said more of them were fired this time around than in the first round of layoffs.
The VA denied that any crisis line employees were laid off in the first round of cuts, contradicting what several media outlets have reported. They have not responded publicly on the second round of layoffs.
Many analysts have been critical of the sudden mass purges of federal employees triggered by DOGE and its head, billionaire Elon Musk, but more could still be on the way.