By Steve Neavling
Nearly one in four FBI agents nationwide are now assigned to immigration enforcement, a dramatic shift that’s drawing concern from inside and outside the bureau, according to data obtained by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and shared with The Washington Post.
The figures show that roughly 25% of the FBI’s agents — and as many as 40% in some of the largest field offices — are working with ICE to find and arrest undocumented immigrants. The reassignments mark a major change for the agency, which since the Sept. 11 attacks has focused primarily on national security, terrorism, and complex criminal investigations.
Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, requested the internal data after hearing reports that agents were being pulled from cybercrime, drug trafficking, counterintelligence, and terrorism cases. The numbers confirm that shift, though the true share of time spent on immigration is likely higher, since the data only reflect agents who devote at least half their time to such work.
FBI Director Kash Patel, appointed under the Trump administration, has also redirected agents toward violent crime investigations, another White House priority. Patel has defended the changes, saying on Fox News this week, “We’re just warming up. We are running our investigations to the ground. We’re finding every single person involved.”
But several current and former officials say the reshuffling has left agents stretched thin and demoralized.
“We are weakening ourselves day by day,” said Chris O’Leary, a former senior FBI executive. “Having agents walk the beat and conduct immigration arrests is really a misuse of exquisite ability.”
Patel has also faced criticism for firing multiple senior agents, including three who obtained the phone records of Republican lawmakers during a court-approved probe into Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The records showed only call logs, not the content of conversations, and there is no indication the lawmakers were targets of the investigation.
Multiple sources told The Post that many agents now fear retaliation or dismissal for doing their jobs, and some eligible for retirement are leaving early..
