The mid-January transition between the outgoing Obama administration and Trump's incoming administration brought the usual turnover of federal employees. But some civil servants, who’d imagined a lifetime of public service, were dismayed by abrupt changes in policy. Some decided to resign, while others were pushed out.

Hear about one federal employee who deals with immigration. He says despite the "disheartening" atmosphere, the "nutty" roll-out of the travel ban executive order and a wide-spread spirit of dissent, he still sees opportunities to do good work. He has no plans to quit.

Listen to the second part of this series: "Why I'm Leaving," a conversation with a National Security Council employee who handed in his resignation letter at the end of January.