Federal Judge Addresses Controversy Over Document Destruction at USAID

WASHINGTON (AP) — A union representing contractors for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) requested a federal judge’s intervention on Tuesday to prevent the destruction of classified documents, following an email directive ordering staff to burn and shred agency records.

Judge Carl Nichols has set a deadline for Wednesday for both the plaintiffs and government representatives to submit their arguments concerning the issue. A source familiar with the email, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation, confirmed that it was disseminated to essential personnel.

The request follows significant disruptions within USAID, as the federal government has cut off most funding and reduced on-site staff to only a few hundred, effectively closing the agency’s headquarters in Washington.

Amid mounting lawsuits regarding the abrupt halt of U.S. foreign assistance, the Personal Services Contractor Association, representing thousands of contractors impacted by layoffs from USAID, urged the judge to stop any document destruction to preserve critical evidence.

The email, attributed to Erica Carr, USAID’s acting executive secretary, instructed staff to “[s]hred as many documents first” before placing any remaining classified materials into bags labeled for burning. It stressed the necessity of writing “secret” on these bags, suggesting urgency in disposing of these documents.

The State Department did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the email. Questions arose about whether the agency was adhering to federal laws that closely regulate the collection, retention, and disposal of classified materials. Improper handling of such documents can lead to criminal charges.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the Trump administration for its alleged noncompliance with federal records laws, stating, “Haphazardly shredding and burning USAID documents and personnel files seems like a great way to get rid of evidence of wrongdoing when you’re illegally dismantling the agency.”

Additionally, the American Foreign Service Association, a group representing USAID workers, expressed concern over the potential loss of documents relevant to ongoing lawsuits regarding firings and program terminations.

This classified material issue began when the Trump administration placed USAID’s top two security officials on leave after they resisted requests from members of a government restructuring team led by Elon Musk for access to classified documents. Reports indicated that the materials included sensitive intelligence reports.

Kate Miller, who serves on an advisory board for DOGE, previously stated that no classified information was accessed without the appropriate security clearances. Recent firings at USAID have further reduced the number of staff with access to agency systems.

Amiri reported from the United Nations, and Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst contributed from Washington.