A small group of demonstrators gathered outside the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, holding signs and chanting in protest. Their concern: sweeping job cuts occurring at VA facilities nationwide. “We want to show our support for all VA employees because they dedicate themselves to taking care of us veterans,” said Tim Hauser, a veteran participating in the rally.
A memo from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reveals that over 2,400 employees have been dismissed since mid-February. Allicia Jennings, who has worked at the Cleveland VA for 27 years as a police dispatcher, described the growing uncertainty among staff. “I don’t know anyone personally who has lost their job, but we’ve had a lot of scared people,” Jennings said.
As the daughter and sister of Marines, Jennings voiced concerns not only for the workers but also for the veterans who depend on their services. “It’s not just veterans, it’s also their family members that are affected by these cuts,” she explained.
The layoffs are reportedly part of a broader effort under the Trump administration to enhance efficiency within federal agencies. Congresswoman Shontel Brown (D) made a brief appearance at the rally, condemning the job cuts. “They’re not finding waste, fraud, and abuse – in fact, I would argue that Elon is a waste, that Trump is a fraud, and what they’re doing to veterans is committing abuse,” Brown said.
Brown, who was on her way back to Washington, vowed to fight the cuts on multiple fronts. “We’re gonna fight it in Congress with legislation, we’re gonna fight it in the courts with litigation, and we’re gonna fight it in the streets right here in the community,” she declared.
Meanwhile, State Representative Ron Ferguson (R) defended the effort to restructure the VA, arguing that long-standing issues need to be addressed.
“We have a commitment to our veterans, and the VA has been broken for a long time,” Ferguson said. “What we really need is some major VA reform to make sure that our veterans are getting the care they need and not having to deal with the wait times that they’ve suffered with for years and years.”
Ferguson also emphasized the need to curb government spending. “Every dollar that you defund from the federal government you will refund to hard working Americans and Ohioans,” he said.
As tensions over the layoffs continue, both sides remain steadfast in their positions, with protests and legislative battles expected to unfold in the coming months.