Oklahoma Indian Affairs and Fish & Wildlife Offices Closed By DOGE

Two federal agency offices in Oklahoma are on the chopping block as part of recent cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The two federal agency offices in Oklahoma that have had leases terminated include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs office located in Carnegie, Oklahoma.

DOGE is overseen by unelected billionaire Elon Musk and the recent cuts have effected multiple federal agencies and employees across the United States. These latest cuts are the first known to close physical offices located in Oklahoma. Other layoffs from DOGE may have affected other Oklahomans in regards to employment.

According to an article from The New York Times, President Donald Trump and Musk have made cuts within multiple government agencies including probationary staff, D.E.I. workers, Jan. 6 and Trump investigators, government watchdogs and other staff, and are working to completely terminate multiple departments.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Broken Bow oversees the Little River National Wildlife Refuge.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Broken Bow oversees the Little River National Wildlife Refuge located in Broken Bow. The Little River National Wildlife Refuge is home to one of Oklahoma's largest bottomland hardwood forests and to multiple wildlife. The refuge also offers free public opportunities for hunting, fishing, driving and walking trails. The purpose of the refuge is for wildlife conservation and "ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge."

According to an article from Oklahoma Energy Today, the DOGE website indicated that it has cancelled the real estate agreement for a 2,325 square foot office. The closing of which saved a total of $58,673 or an annual lease cost of $30,612, according to DOGE.

As of Thursday, Feb. 20, it is unclear if the employees who managed the Little River National Wildlife Refuge in Broken Bow have been laid off or if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will no longer operate in the area.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs office in Carnegie has been closed.

DOGE closed the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office in Carnegie for an annual savings of $6,063 or annual lease cost of $2,798. The office was part of the Anadarko Agency in the Southern Plains Region of the BIA and served the Kiowa Tribe.

As of Thursday, Feb. 20, it's unclear what office location was closed in Carnegie and if any employees were laid off as part of the DOGE closure.

According to an article from KOSU, multiple federal employees who worked in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, Department of the Interior and others were laid off during the probationary layoffs, which included employees who had recently hired or moved to a new position.