State Department seeks to create "Office of Remigration" in restructuring
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 22, 2025. Photo: Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images
The State Department plans to create an "Office of Remigration" in a sweeping reorganization drive tied to the Trump administration's efforts to deport millions of immigrants, a department official told Axios Thursday.
The big picture: The proposed new office would signal the State Department's shift from helping refugees to removing immigrants, even as it employs the term "remigration" — a concept that critics say has a troubled history in Europe, where it's used by far-right groups.
Driving the news: The State Department on Thursday announced a proposed overhaul that would cut various programs and staff.
- The Office of Remigration would be part of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, a State Department official said.
- The proposal calls for an even deeper cut to domestic staffing than the 15% reduction that was floated in April.
- The department also intends to eliminate several divisions overseeing America's 20-year presence in Afghanistan, including an office responsible for resettling Afghan allies who supported U.S. military operations.
Context: In Europe, the concept of remigration calls for the mass deportation or coerced repatriation of non-white immigrants and their European-born descendants.
- It's a term that's been used by far-right politicians, such as Austria's Herbert Kickl and Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leader, Alice Weidel.
- Liberal and moderate critics in Europe say "remigration" has historically been used as a euphemism for ethnic cleansing. The term was popularized by Martin Sellner, a millennial influencer of Europe's far-right.
Yes, but: "The way that it worked before, Population Refugee Migration was basically an entire bureau dedicated to bringing people into the United States," said the State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
- "It had the migration function — it's in the name — we're just reversing the flow of migrants who shouldn't be here to go out of the country."
Zoom in: A more detailed proposal sent to Congress proposes prioritizing migration and border issues over refugee resettlement.
- The Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration's "existing migration functions will be consolidated into three new functional offices under a (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State) for Migration Matters."
- "Reflecting core administration priorities, these offices will be substantially reorganized to shift focus towards supporting the Administration's efforts to return illegal aliens to their country of origin or legal status," the document said.
- The Office of Remigration would be one of these new "functional offices" and is described as a "hub for immigration issues and repatriation tracking."
What they're saying: "Over the past quarter century, the domestic operations of the State Department have grown exponentially, resulting in more bureaucracy, higher costs, and fewer results for the American people," Rubio said in a statement.
- "The reorganization plan will result in a more agile department, better equipped to promote America's interests and keep Americans safe across the world."
- Rubio didn't mention the Office of Remigration in his statement, and the office is not listed on a new chart on the department's website.
Zoom out: The Trump administration has faced court challenges in attempts to remove immigrants from the U.S. without due process.
- It has deported several immigrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador and refused to bring back at least one man after acknowledging he was removed from the U.S. in error.
