Former USAID Headquarters Has a New Tenant

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has taken over a massive office space in Washington, D.C., that previously housed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The move reflects the administration’s broader shift in focus from foreign aid to national security and immigration enforcement.

Key Facts:

CBP has signed a license agreement to occupy 390,000 square feet in the former USAID headquarters.
USAID has been restructured under the State Department, with funding priorities tightened.
The administration has emphasized border security and mass deportations as key policies.
Since taking office, the administration has deported 11,000 illegal aliens and is preparing additional detention space.
Illegal border crossings have dropped 36% in a single month, per CBP data.

The Rest of The Story:

The relocation of CBP into the former USAID headquarters is more than just a real estate move—it signals a dramatic change in the administration’s priorities.

USAID, which once played a major role in global development initiatives, has been reduced in scope and placed under tighter control by the State Department.

Meanwhile, immigration enforcement has surged.

The administration has expanded deportation efforts, using all available resources to remove illegal immigrants.

According to White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, the administration is committed to using the full power of federal agencies to enforce immigration laws.

Data from CBP supports this shift, with a sharp decline in illegal border crossings since the administration took office.

Officials credit stricter enforcement policies and a renewed focus on securing the border.

Quote: "Trump occupies the high ground…If voters dislike anything, it’s bureaucracy and foreign aid. And USAID is a 10,000-employee bureaucracy—housed in a palatial building on prime downtown real estate—that spends $40 billion a year on other countries" https://t.co/Z7bemYI9X1

— Brit Hume (@brithume) February 10, 2025

Commentary:

This office space shift is more than symbolic—it’s a sign that the status quo in Washington is changing.

For years, USAID operated with little accountability, funneling billions into projects overseas while domestic issues were ignored.

By reducing its role and giving CBP a larger presence, the administration is signaling that border security takes priority over foreign aid spending.

Critics may argue that USAID played a vital role in diplomacy, but taxpayers have long questioned its effectiveness.

Many of its programs were bloated, inefficient, and often funded causes that had little to do with American interests.

Redirecting these resources toward border enforcement is a logical step.

The administration’s early results show that strict enforcement works.

With deportations rising and illegal border crossings dropping, the policies are delivering real outcomes.

The American people expect their government to uphold the rule of law, and this move is a clear indication that enforcement is now the top priority.

Rather than leaving an empty building, CBP taking over this prime office space is practical and sends a message: Washington’s bureaucratic excesses are being cut down, and law enforcement is taking center stage.

The Bottom Line:

USAID’s decline and CBP’s expansion reflect a fundamental shift in how the government prioritizes national security.

Instead of funding controversial foreign aid projects, resources are now focused on enforcing immigration laws.

This move signals that business as usual in Washington is over—securing the border is now front and center.