I don't want to seem insensitive, but... Hi I'm your boss, you're fired, give me your laptop, pick up your shit, security is going to escort you out the building. Cause no trouble.
For me (as that boss), it's been much easier to fire people who deserve it than to lay off people who are working earnestly (not necessarily profitably) for the business.
So I'd never tell an employee who's part of a RIF that they're fired. The rest of what you describe is exactly how HR trained us to handle the matter.
Just an interpretation to what's going on there.