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Employees of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) shared their distress this week regarding their rushed return from assignments in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Multiple staff members, as part of a lawsuit filed on Tuesday by a collective of the agency’s foreign service personnel, described the chaotic scene during their exit from Kinshasa amidst violent unrest in the capital. This turmoil coincided with the conclusion of specific foreign assistance initiatives by President Donald Trump‘s administration and the temporary suspension of some Washington leadership, which resulted in confusion for employees.

Recent orders for worldwide personnel to return to the US and for employees to be placed on administrative leave were part of Trump’s strategy to halt foreign aid and reshape the agency, aiming to reduce the size of the federal workforce.

CNN has contacted the State Department and USAID for their comments.

Amid escalating violence in late January, the State Department advised non-emergency US government personnel and their families to leave the DRC.

The US Embassy in the DRC, currently closed, issued a security alert on Tuesday, advising American citizens to “shelter in place” due to ongoing protests in Kinshasa and encouraged them to “safely leave while commercial travel options remain.”

One official stationed in the DRC expressed concern for those who had left much of their personal property behind in Kinshasa, fearing it could be looted or destroyed.

“Everyone believed, ‘We can manage this until the situation stabilizes and then return,’ but that is no longer feasible,” the official stated. “The anxiety stems from the fear of job loss and the feeling that our work may cease to exist.”

“It’s essential for people to realize that we are not criminals,” the official added, seemingly responding to Elon Musk’s description of the agency as “a criminal organization.” Musk, who leads the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, has discussed the potential closure of USAID alongside Trump.

Concerns of Abandonment in Kinshasa for US Workers

A foreign service officer, referred to in the lawsuit as Marcus Doe, expressed fear for his family’s safety amid the widespread protests in Kinshasa, which affected the US embassy and took place close to his residence on January 28.

He shared the difficulties faced by him and his colleagues, including a peer whose house was torched and “lost all possessions to looting,” and recounted being warned that “spending outside the agency’s acting administrator’s direct approval might be deemed noncompliance with directives.”

“I felt a deep sense of panic that the government might completely abandon Americans working for USAID in Kinshasa,” Marcus Doe stated.

According to Marcus, he and his colleagues were evacuated in small boats to Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, without an authorized waiver, which they later received. From there, they boarded a flight to Washington, where they were given just two nights at an airport hotel to prepare for their next steps, as noted in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claimed that these employees were left to navigate their own housing, schooling arrangements for their children, and “other support payments typically owed to evacuated families.”

“We still have not received any of these payments,” Marcus Doe stated in the filing, adding later, “The chaos resulting from the Trump administration’s abrupt and extralegal shutdown of USAID has inflicted tremendous emotional distress on my family and me, worsening the panic and uncertainty we felt during the riots in Kinshasa.”

A pregnant foreign service health officer, named Ruth Doe in the lawsuit, reported facing limited access to water and no food for 12 hours during her return to the US. Although she was “promised before evacuation” by the State Department that the agency would “facilitate access” to prenatal care upon her return, this has not occurred.

“Up to now, the State Department’s Bureau of Medical Services has not managed to arrange an earlier appointment than March 10,” Ruth Doe stated, noting this date is “far too late” based on her healthcare plan established with a doctor in Kinshasa.

Ruth indicated she has sought medical care outside of Washington and covered the costs personally. She has not yet received reimbursement, as stated in the lawsuit, “for expenses related to accommodation, food, clothing, and other essentials.”

“In just one week, I have incurred nearly $5,000 for these necessities,” Ruth Doe explained. “We have been given inconsistent and vague instructions on how to request reimbursement for these expenses. Given the disorganized nature of the USAID shutdown, I fear we may not receive timely compensation.”

Foreign Service Officer Shares ‘Mental and Physical Anguish’ During Relocation

Another foreign service officer, identified as Nathan Doe in the filing, described in the lawsuit “the trauma” of leaving Kinshasa in the dead of night with three young children and being forced to abandon his dog. Unfortunately, he reported that conditions have not improved since arriving in Washington.

“To minimize the personal expenses I was incurring,” Nathan Doe explained, “my family moved to Michigan while I rented an apartment in Washington.”

At the time of the filing, Nathan Doe stated he had not yet received guidance regarding reimbursement for his relocation; he was informed that “those responsible for coordinating evacuations for USAID were unavailable” due to being placed on leave.

“As news about the events at USAID filled the headlines, I was juggling work and our situation, and my children were calling to ask if I still had a job and what our plans were,” Nathan Doe shared in the lawsuit.

“My children were scared – not only had we endured the trauma of evacuation, but they were also worried about me and our prospects as jobless,” he added. “I am suffering from mental and physical exhaustion and anguish.”

Lawmaker Condemns Actions as ‘Scandalous’

In response to the lawsuit from the American Foreign Service Association, Virginia Democratic Representative Don Beyer criticized Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the agency’s acting director, for the turmoil surrounding the return of foreign service employees.

“This is a complete scandal,” Beyer expressed on a post on X. “Trump and Marco Rubio have left American workers and their families stranded abroad without the necessary approvals for their safe return to the US.”

Beyer represents the latest Democratic member of Congress to denounce the administration’s attempt to shut down the agency, limit essential foreign aid, and reduce significant oversight.

Since assuming office in January, Trump has dismissed several government watchdogs, including USAID’s inspector general, just a day after their report critical of the administration’s actions was released.

“Trump is creating chaos and confusion, and in the context of USAID, is putting numerous lives at risk,” stated Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, on X last week.

“What is crucial now is that we do not remain silent. We must call this out,” he added.

Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s Jennifer Hansler and Katelyn Polantz.