FBI field offices ordered to shift focus, assign more agents to immigration crackdown

WASHINGTON — FBI field offices across the country have been ordered to dramatically increase agent involvement in immigration enforcement operations, NBC News reported.

The orders were delivered mid May in internal memos and meetings, according to multiple current and former FBI officials who spoke to NBC News. The directive aligns with broader changes under the Trump administration, which is proposing a 5% cut to the FBI’s budget.

One memo obtained by NBC News instructs field offices to raise their “operational tempo” on immigration cases. The Department of Justice “expects a significant increase in the number of agents participating in immigration enforcement operations,” the memo reads.

Under the new orders:

• 45% of all agents in the 25 largest field offices will work full-time on immigration enforcement.
• Atlanta’s field office will assign 67 agents to these duties—half of its headquarters staff.
• Los Angeles will create nine squads dedicated to identifying and detaining noncitizens.
• Boston will assign 33 additional agents to immigration work.
• The department aims to have 2,000 FBI agents across the country working full time on immigration enforcement at any one time, according to one memo