The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – America’s frontline defense for embassy protection and global counterintelligence – faces unprecedented personnel cuts despite explicit national security exemptions in February’s federal downsizing order. As the State Department terminates critical contractors, experts warn these reductions could cripple America’s ability to thwart terrorism, human trafficking, and passport fraud worldwide.
Established after the 1983 Beirut bombings, DSS agents operate in 200+ countries with three core missions:
- Protecting U.S. embassies/diplomats
- Investigating transnational crimes
- Gathering foreign intelligence
Recent firings eliminated bomb technicians, security contractors, and surveillance teams – roles crucial during crises like the Kabul evacuation. This contradicts Trump’s Executive Order 44-9A, which spares agencies addressing “national security, homeland security, or public safety responsibilities.”
“DSS personnel were the first to identify Hezbollah’s European terror cells in 2019,” said former Secret Service agent Donald Mihalek. “Cutting their ranks now is like disarming firefighters during a blaze.”
Compounding concerns, DSS must now handle expanded directives under three 2024 executive orders targeting:
1. Border Security: Investigating 4,200+ visa fraud cases annually
2. Cartel Designations: Tracking fentanyl trafficking networks
3. Terrorism Screening: Vetting 9 million visa applicants/year
Despite these responsibilities, the State Department hasn’t confirmed DSS’s exemption status – unlike DEA or US Marshals. Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association emails reveal growing agent anxiety, with membership surges as personnel seek legal safeguards.
With 73% of DSS contractors being ex-special forces (including Benghazi attack casualties), experts argue security cannot be compromised. As China expands African spy bases and Hamas threatens Mediterranean attacks, these cuts may leave America’s diplomatic frontlines undefended.