There is much angst among the Trump Administration and some Republicans these days about the so-called “Deep State.” But who exactly are these people, and why do they matter?

There are approximately 2.8 million full-time federal civilian employees as of June 2017, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is approximately 2 percent of the full-time workforce in the U.S. Contrary to what some would have us believe, this number has remained fairly constant since at least the late 1990s. These are people from all walks of life who serve our country through Democratic and Republican administrations. They are ambassadors and diplomats implementing foreign policy; chemical engineers keeping our waterways clean; postal employees processing and delivering the mail; and air traffic controllers keeping the skies safe. They are doctors, nurses and social workers. They are foreign service officers, managers, technicians and security personnel. They are also FBI agents, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, legal aids and others involved in the administration of justice. They are Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians, and when their duties include the administration of justice, they must also be non-partisan.

Every administration has an opportunity to shape the agenda and direction of the nation through the choices they make in naming their cabinet and department heads and setting the tone and policy directives. But they do not get to choose who to prosecute for crimes, real or imagined. Most federal employees were hired during previous administrations, both Democratic and Republican, and they may or may not agree with the policy changes brought about by a new administration. But unlike commercial organizations, federal employees and public officials, including those appointed by the administration, take an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.”

It is only natural that an administration would prefer to have employees that support their ideology and policy goals. But thankfully, these federal employees, including those appointed and hired by the current administration, owe their allegiance to the Constitution and not to the administration that hired them. Donald Trump and his followers would have us believe that because they were unsuccessful in their efforts to prosecute their political opponents, there must be a political agenda within the Justice Department in spite of the fact that most of those involved are Republicans.

When Donald Trump and other Republicans call for the Justice Department to investigate or drop the investigation of anyone without evidence they are at a minimum in violation of their oath of office and, quite possibly, committing an act of obstruction of justice.

Instead of vilifying our loyal public servants, I think we should all be very thankful for the so-called “Deep State.”