As a patriotic American and proud graduate of the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs who has spent much of the past 15 years working in Guatemala on projects funded by the United States Agency for International Development — USAID — I’ve seen firsthand the impact of USAID’s work and am compelled to speak out against the misguided attacks on America’s long-held bipartisan commitment to foreign assistance.

USAID is not just a symbol of American generosity; it’s a critical tool for advancing our national interests. Despite claims that USAID promotes far-left ideology, the truth is that it advances core American values including democracy and free-market capitalism while leading efforts to decrease irregular migration to the U.S.

For example, our workforce development programs collaborate with vocational schools and private sector partners, including U.S. multinational corporations, to place young people in local jobs and steer them away from illegal migration or criminal activities such as narcotics trafficking. We improve economic conditions by supporting local businesses, professional associations and the agricultural sector while strengthening government institutions to provide better education, healthcare and infrastructure, all of which reduces pressures to migrate north.

USAID does address gender issues, but rather than pushing controversial cultural agendas, its focus is on widely accepted initiatives like combating gender-based violence and promoting female workforce participation. 

My career in international development began over 20 years ago when a Peace Corps recruiter inspired me during my senior year of college with the idea of service — both to people in other nations and in my own. My grandfather fought in World War II and landed at Normandy on D-Day; I saw joining the Peace Corps as a continuation of that tradition of national service. I served for two years in rural Guatemalan schools, leading health education and sanitation projects. After finishing my Peace Corps Service I spent the next two years in New Haven studying international relations with a focus on international development at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs. 

Over the years, I have urged many Guatemalans not to risk their lives attempting to enter the U.S. illegally. I met my Guatemalan wife during my service; we now have two children. Watching the increasingly hostile rhetoric toward immigrants has been deeply distressing. While criminal elements exist in any population, the vast majority of Guatemalans I have met are honest, hardworking people who simply want a decent life for their families, and most would strongly prefer to stay in Guatemala with their loved ones.

In recent weeks, numerous claims have been made against USAID. While debunking them all would take pages, one particularly egregious allegation is fraud. I don’t work directly for the U.S. government but for an “implementing partner,” a U.S.-based company contracted to design and execute USAID projects. Having spent years managing the financial and administrative side, I can attest to the meticulous oversight of every taxpayer dollar. Every expenditure undergoes multiple reviews, rigorous documentation and audits. Employees worldwide are thoroughly vetted and we receive annual ethics training on fraud prevention and conflicts of interest. USAID underwent 67 financial audits in 2024, covering $57.3 billion, all publicly accessible on the Office of Inspector General’s website. Accusations of widespread fraud are not only baseless but insulting.

As I write this, I am on unpaid furlough with an increasing risk of permanent layoff — alongside thousands of my colleagues. Elections have consequences and the winners have the right to set policy, but that’s not what’s happening here. Instead, the U.S. government has abruptly stopped paying its bills. Organizations like mine front the costs of approved and legally contracted work, submitting invoices for reimbursement under the Prompt Payment Act of 1982. But now, payments have ceased — even for work already completed — forcing layoffs and financial distress. As my company’s spokesperson recently stated, “There’s the pause in foreign aid, but more importantly, the cessation of payments for completed work. … This isn’t just about pausing future projects; it’s about refusing to pay for services already rendered.”

Imagine hiring a contractor for home renovations under a signed contract with monthly payments. The contractor works for a month, covers expenses, pays workers and submits an invoice — only for you to refuse payment, forcing layoffs and possible bankruptcy. That’s exactly what’s happening now.

As this crisis unfolds, it’s becoming clear that driving American organizations like mine out of business through these illegal practices is the intended goal. Is this the America we want for ourselves and our children? If not, I urge you to take action now. Call your members of Congress, share this information with your friends and families, attend protests and find other ways to resist these and the many other actions currently being taken that are harmful both to vulnerable populations and to the long term interests of the United States. 

TRAVIS SNOW GRD ’13 is a 41-year-old father of two. He grew up in northwestern Connecticut and has worked in international development for the last 15 years, including serving for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala’s rural western highlands, where he implemented a health education project in three rural elementary schools. He has supported various aspects of USAID-funded projects in over a dozen countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the United States. He is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs. He can be reached at snow.travis@gmail.com.