WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., has joined a group of 21 Democratic senators calling on President Donald Trump to immediately reinstate veterans who have been fired in a mass termination of federal employees.

It’s estimated the administration’s actions have already resulted in about 6,000 veterans abruptly losing their jobs, including many former service members who had worked in government service for multiple years, Peters said. Data from Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee found that as of Feb. 26 the Department of Government Efficiency has fired about 38,000 federal employees since the start of Trump’s second term.

In a letter to Trump, Peters and his colleagues noted veterans make up about 30% of the federal workforce, or more than 640,000 employees.

“Federal civil service has long been a preferred path for military-affiliated populations, allowing them to continue serving our country while offering competitive wages, benefits, and much-needed stability,” said Peters and his colleagues. “In return, every single agency in our government and every single taxpayer benefits from these experienced, talented, and dedicated employees.”

The letter continued, “Your administration’s actions are damaging the economic security and morale of our military and veteran families, the federal government’s ability to recruit and retain high-quality talent, and ultimately, our national security. We demand that you cease your attacks on our nation’s heroes, who have already given so much in defense of our country, and immediately reinstate those who have been illegally fired with their full back pay and benefits.”

In the House, a bill from Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif., would require that any veterans terminated without reason from the federal government since the start of Trump’s term be reinstated. It would also require federal agencies to submit reports to Congress on the veteran dismissals and provide justifications for their actions.

“I’ve been trying to get support. I’m trying to not make this a partisan issue,” Tran told the Associated Press. “This is just the right thing for our veterans. So in my communication with colleagues across the aisle, I want to make sure that they understand this is not a Democratic bill. This is a bill to protect those who served.”

The White House has said Trump established DOGE “to examine how to streamline the federal government, eliminate unnecessary programs and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.”