The State Department has an official Dissent Channel. It began in 1971, during disputes about policy in the Vietnam War. Through it, American diplomats can disagree with policy openly. Those who use it are protected from reprisals and disciplinary action.
In January 2017 press reports said that more than 1,000 foreign service officers and civil service employees had signed a dissent against President Trump’s immigration order. The State Department did not confirm the number. The second-largest dissent in the channel’s history had 51 names.