The smuggling of ants and other insects in the U.S. could be on the rise due to recent cuts to the USDA under the Trump administration, a new report says.
The Department of Government Efficiency, the agency once led by billionaire Elon Musk, issued widespread layoffs and buyouts to federal employees this spring. This impacted several members of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which helps restrict the smuggling of invertebrates like ants, Wired reports. While some of those staff were later rehired, other positions have remained vacant, according to the outlet.
