Donald Trump has fired Amy Paris, one of the federal government’s highest ranking employees. Paris’ work for the federal government has spanned five administrations. During Biden’s term, she helped to implement trans-inclusive policies. When terminated, her role was deputy digital services lead in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) where she oversaw organ donation safety, according to LGBTQ Nation.
Paris’ work over the last decade deemed her one of the highest ranking employees in U.S. federal government, second to former Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, according to The 19th.
Paris told The 19th that she was told she would be fired for “performance.” “I have clear evidence in multiple different ways that I was one of the highest-performing people in the entirety of the federal government.” Paris even reported scoring a 4.75 out of five on her last performance review, and she was honored by the Biden administration for her problem-solving skills and advocate for the trans community.
Following his inauguration, Trump has issued five comprehensive anti-trans executive orders that aim to bar trans people from fully participating in public life, and cut off crucial resources to the community across health and education sectors. But the orders haven’t been without pushback, various judges have put temporary restraining orders on Trump’s directives, delaying their enactment.
Under the Biden Administration, Paris played a vital role in expanding trans-friendly policies across the nation, including overseeing the implementation of passport “X” gender markers and less invasive airport screenings for trans and gender nonconforming people, policies Trump has already undone in one month back in office.
Paris is not the only trans person serving the U.S.’s interest who is getting fired. Just last week, the Pentagon announced it would begin disbanding trans military personnel in the next thirty days. No one in the Trump Administration can reasonably explain the termination of thousands of personnel.
Paris is now exploring legal options against the government to fight her termination. With all her years of experience, Paris knows that the Trump Administration isn’t after “government efficiency.”
“They’re trying to actually not make the government more efficient, but disrupt the government and disrupt citizen services that the American people need in order to conduct their daily lives,” she said. “They are trying to sow discord and disrupt confidence in the workings of the federal government.”
