Since Inauguration Day, President Donald Trump has signed dozens of executive orders which have brought about federal hiring freezes, DEI program elimination, ICE raids, anti-trans policies, and extra which have impacted People’ lives in quite a lot of methods.
Anna Moneymaker / Getty Photos
To date, individuals haven’t held again on sharing how their lives have been affected by the Trump administration; like this X user who claimed their buddies who’re cotton farmers misplaced their greatest contract with a Canadian purchaser attributable to “an excessive amount of instability” within the US.
We determined to ask members of the BuzzFeed Community to share how their lives have been personally affected by the Trump administration’s most up-to-date insurance policies. On this month-to-month collection, we plan to share People’ candid experiences to deliver consciousness to how communities are being affected.
Right here’s what 15 individuals needed to say:
All images are AI-generated for anonymity.
1. “Government orders halting US Department of Health and Human Services funding has led to a 25% discount in my work, one worker with no initiatives (our DEI admin), and a looming risk that our whole division could not exist within the subsequent 4 years if issues proceed.”
“Trump’s moratorium on communications means we don’t know what we are able to/can not do at this level. I need to shout at MAGA relations who appear shocked and confused that my job is now threatened by Expensive Chief.”
2. “Each summer time and fall for the final couple of years, I labored as a seasonal park ranger for the Nationwide Park Service. I received my official letter to work in upstate New York a few weeks in the past, however with Trump’s federal hiring freeze, my provide was rescinded.”
“Now I’m simply ready to see if I’ve a job or not for subsequent summer time. It’s a bit nerve-racking as a result of this seasonal job might help me apply for everlasting jobs sooner or later. The Nationwide Park Service depends closely on seasonal staff; with out us, parks wouldn’t have the ability to perform.”
—Stephanie, 27, Arizona
3. “I’m disabled and have metastatic breast most cancers. I’m terrified my firm will take away DEI protections that might guarantee my job is protected once I take go away for chemo each three weeks.”
“Challenge 2025 additionally advisable eradicating protections for preexisting circumstances, and if Trump mandates that, then my job might refuse to insure me, and insurers might drop/refuse to insure me. With out entry to inexpensive insurers, I’d have to decide on between chapter or dying. To not point out, I’m on my eighth line of chemo therapy, with analysis halted, new medicine gained’t come to market, and ultimately, I’ll run out of therapy choices. I’m so confused I can’t even suppose straight.”
—Beth, 45, New Jersey
4. “My sister is transgender. She got here out a number of years in the past and has been on hormones ever since. She has an actual ID together with her new title and gender on it and has for a while now.”
“Nonetheless, as a result of the government now is only issuing passports showing the gender assigned at birth, my sister (who had by no means wanted a passport and thus didn’t have one earlier than this hellish administration got here in) is unable to get a passport and is unable to attend a household wedding ceremony in Mexico this yr. I’m so fucking offended, unhappy, and ashamed of what this nation has achieved to individuals who have achieved NOTHING to them. Despicable.”
—Claire, 33, California
5. “My associate is right here legally, and we’ve got a baby collectively. We reside within the South, and there’s a lot of profiling. Since Inauguration Day, I’ve observed extra individuals watching him after we exit collectively as a household.”
“I’ve beforehand felt snug in public areas, however now fear that he’ll get randomly requested to point out his inexperienced card or detained for some motive. We’ve got a plan in place for a state of affairs like this and have gone as far as to place a tentative agenda collectively in case there are deportations of anybody not born right here. It’s unhappy to suppose that we’ve got come so far.”
—Derek, 39, South Carolina
6. “My husband is a federal worker and has been hybrid distant/in workplace for the final three years, and now he is being forced to return full time to the office. We solely have one automobile, which was wonderful when he was house a couple of days every week so we might share the automobile, and I might nonetheless get me/youngsters to appointments/actions/errands.”
“However now we both have to determine how one can scrape collectively cash to purchase a second automobile or have him experience the three-hour bus experience to work and lose all that household time. I really feel ridiculous as a result of I do know different individuals have means greater issues, however we had simply discovered a great rhythm and steadiness for our household schedule and have been feeling financially form of okay, and having all of it turned the wrong way up for nothing sucks.”
—Leilani, 34, Hawaii
7. “I work at a Tribal school. About 2/3 of our college students are Native, and I’m fearful of what this administration may do. It’s heartbreaking watching the neighborhood attempt to heal from centuries of oppression and focused genocide, solely to be taught that their citizenship is in jeopardy under this administration.”
“Plus, the native tribe’s treaty comprises a clause stating that if mineral sources are found on the ceded territory, the president retains the fitting to evict residents to clear the way in which for mining operations. A overseas enterprise is already looking the world for copper, so the specter of compelled relocation is actual.”
8. “I gave up a ton of cash within the non-public sector to affix the federal workforce, as did everybody else I work with, a number of the highest achievers I’ve ever seen. The current RTO orders are so excessive and demoralizing and are the equal of the president simply saying ‘fuck you’ to all of us loudly and in our faces. We aren’t the enemy! We’re right here to assist the nation and supply a public service.”
“I’ve household from nations with dictatorships, and I’ve seen what it’s prefer to reside with none religion in your authorities. It’s not fairly. I want People would get up to how horrible this will likely be for everybody, no matter political occasion.”
9. “I’m in medical faculty, and we’ve had so as to add what occurs if ICE comes into the hospital whereas we’re on rotation to class discussions and lectures now.”
10. “I’ve a consulting agency that has a number of USAID initiatives. These initiatives have been on ‘programmatic pause.’ Now, I don’t have the income that comes from these initiatives and want to put off workers who’re US residents.”
11. “I work as a paralegal for an immigration regulation agency. The worry and devastation I hear from shoppers each day is heartbreaking.”
“We’ve got a contract to work with foster youngsters who entered ‘with out inspection’ (i.e., have been detained on the border and haven’t any current standing). Social staff began having informational periods with the youngsters on what to do in the event that they’re confronted by ICE, and one social employee took a number of of our enterprise playing cards for the youngsters to hold on them in case they get detained and have to name our workplace. The attorneys have began to organize to symbolize detained shoppers, which we don’t usually concentrate on. I can’t go away work at work anymore; I take into consideration these youngsters on my drive house. My grandparents voted for this. I don’t know how one can face them when that is the fact of my skilled career.”
12. “Though I’ve personally not been affected by a deportation risk provided that I’ve a piece allow, I’ve buddies and acquaintances which have. Vermont is a border state, that means there’s a heavy presence of ICE and border patrol. It’s heartbreaking to see ICE standing in entrance of hospitals and supermarkets, ready to catch harmless migrants who’re simply attempting to get well being and meals.”
“Thoughts you, immigrants in Vermont are important for agriculture, building, and hospitality. Immigrants and enterprise house owners alike want that they had a fast technique to get them work permits, however the immigration course of is extraordinarily tough and convoluted. It nearly looks like it has been conveniently designed to maintain individuals unlawful and low-cost.”
13. “My roommate (nonbinary trans girl) and I are actually ready of needing to maneuver to a blue state till we are able to determine the subsequent steps. Iowa’s current governor is firmly in the business of following whatever Trump says, which now means my roommate’s transition and each of our security are in danger.”
“My mother and brother didn’t vote, though I used to be almost in tears begging them on election night time, and I’ve to attempt to get them to grasp how a lot that hurts whereas not letting them make me really feel responsible for doing what I have to do now. I’ve by no means seen one thing so terrifying in my life.”
14. “For me, I’m a federal worker (outdoors of DC now, thoughts you) and have loved a reasonably common onslaught of assaults from the president and his administration (together with Elon Musk). We’re having all telework revoked; the federal authorities has had telework packages in place for 20 years, and I will likely be compelled again into an workplace 5 days every week. There are fixed rumors that positions are going to be eradicated or advantages taken away (e.g., dental and imaginative and prescient insurance coverage).”
“Oh, and my favourite: All federal staff have been despatched an e mail with Elon’s well-known ‘Fork in the Road’ topic, providing all staff the chance to resign no later than Sept. 30, 2025, and in the event that they accepted, they’d not need to do any of their work for the remaining months. The e-mail included a veiled risk alongside the strains of ‘if you happen to select NOT to resign, your place could also be eradicated or drastically totally different within the coming months.’ This has left so many individuals nervous, confused, and scared that they will lose their jobs. In lower than every week, Trump’s insurance policies have utterly upended my life such that my spouse and I are uncertain if we’re going to have the ability to present for our household.”
And eventually…
15. “I used to be lucky to take part in a medical examine on the Nationwide Institute of Well being final summer time for a brand new therapy for a uncommon situation I’ve. The week earlier than I used to be set to go, funding was cut.”
“The examine coordinator had emailed me eager to know if I wished to come back again this spring for the subsequent part of the trial. I’m guessing that’s not going to occur anymore.”
Go Advert-Free — And Shield The Free Press
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
