This statement can be attributed to Cemeré James, interim executive director and president of the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), and Wendy Hoon-Chun, incoming executive director and president of CLASP.

Washington, D.C., April 28, 2025—For over 50 years, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has worked to advance policies that support children, families, and individuals with low incomes, as well as people of color, immigrants, and other historically marginalized communities. In the first hundred days of President Trump’s second term, we have witnessed unprecedented threats to health, stability, security, and fundamental freedoms—disproportionately harming the most vulnerable. Efforts to dismantle the federal government put all of us at risk. Now, more than ever, our ability to understand, measure, and respond to these risks is critical.

In response, CLASP has launched a new tracker that compiles and updates the harmful actions taken by the Trump Administration—particularly through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by unelected billionaire Elon Musk—to dismantle the federal government. We will update the tracker weekly, as DOGE announces new directives and layoffs.

DOGE’s actions are having an immediate and devastating impact on workers, families, communities, and the government’s ability to function.

The harm includes:

• A 20% cut to Head Start, jeopardizing early learning, health, and family well-being services for young children.
• 7,000 layoffs at the IRS, including 5,000 workers focused on tax compliance, with plans to eliminate 45,000 more jobs.
• A 40% reduction in staff at the Administration for Community Living, which supports federal policy on aging, disability, and anti-poverty efforts—including programs like Meals on Wheels.
• The loss of at least 7,000 staff at the Social Security Administration by September 2025, threatening customer service for Social Security, SSDI, and SSI recipients and likely worsening the backlog of disability benefit applications.

History shows that an informed, engaged public is key to driving social change and economic stability. In a time of confusion and fear, this tracker helps cut through the chaos, offering clear, digestible information so communities can strategize and protect those most affected.

While CLASP’s mission focuses on marginalized communities, the tracker shows that these cuts impact people across all demographics. Children and families who rely on programs that support basic needs are already feeling the effects, but the federal workforce is also being hollowed out at an alarming rate.

DOGE’s so-called “efficiency” is a thinly veiled attempt to gut programs without Congressional oversight—benefiting Musk and fellow billionaires while destabilizing public services. The skilled civil servants who’ve dedicated their careers to making government work are being pushed out, their expertise dismissed.

We hope this tracker, alongside the work of our partners, shines a light on the real-world impacts of these cuts. CLASP remains committed to lifting the voices of those most affected and fighting for policies that truly support workers, families, and communities.