The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reallocated its entire investigative division, consisting of 6,000 agents, from fighting transnational threats like drug trafficking, terrorism, and human exploitation to focusing on deporting illegal immigrants.
This shift aligns with the Trump administration’s executive orders, emphasizing the deportation of undocumented individuals as a top priority. However, this change raises concerns among experts and former DHS agents, who warn that it could undermine critical investigations into dangerous global threats, including Mexican drug cartels smuggling fentanyl into the U.S.
Chris Cappannelli, a former senior agent with DHS, expressed frustration with the new direction, predicting negative outcomes for both the agency and national security. He noted that many agents are either retiring early or seeking new jobs in law enforcement that don’t involve deportation tasks. “This isn’t what they signed up for,” Cappannelli told USA TODAY.
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, defended the shift, stating that all DHS agents, including those at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), are now focused on protecting the U.S. by arresting and removing illegal immigrants who threaten national security or public safety.
Secretary Kristi Noem, who took office in late January, has swiftly mobilized federal and state agents to enforce immigration laws, including requesting IRS agents to assist with border security. This action is part of a broader effort to reinforce the southern border and address illegal immigration.
Kenneth MacDonald, a former HSI supervisor, warned that this reallocation of agents could hinder investigations into serious crimes such as child exploitation, cyberattacks, and organized crime. HSI, the second-largest U.S. federal investigative agency, has historically worked on a wide range of issues, including combatting criminal activities that cross both physical and digital borders.
The shift could also disrupt ongoing investigations involving high-profile criminals, such as members of the Sinaloa Cartel, who are implicated in trafficking illegal drugs into the U.S. HSI agents recently assisted in a major operation that led to the seizure of a plane tied to a Venezuelan state-owned company, and in another case, they helped arrest individuals involved in a global neo-Nazi child exploitation ring.
Several HSI agents have expressed concerns about the impact of this change on national security investigations. “If this is the foreseeable future, there will be a lot of internal issues,” said MacDonald, highlighting the risk to long-term, complex investigations.
HSI’s focus has traditionally extended beyond immigration issues, encompassing a broad range of criminal activities that impact U.S. citizens. As the division’s role shifts, officials fear that valuable efforts to fight global crime, including Russian and Iranian criminal syndicates, could go unaddressed.
Some law enforcement officials, however, have refrained from speaking out publicly, fearing retaliation from the Trump administration. A senior DHS official emphasized that the agency’s focus on immigration enforcement is aligned with national priorities, as outlined by Project 2025, a policy framework supporting a tougher stance on immigration offenses.
While HSI agents remain a part of ICE, they had previously pushed for greater independence from the agency. They argued that ICE’s focus on deportation undermined their ability to tackle transnational crimes effectively. Despite recent moves toward rebranding as an independent agency, the new directive has seen HSI agents reassigned back to immigration enforcement, drawing further criticism.
The redeployment of agents is expected to have serious implications for ongoing law enforcement efforts. HSI agents who had been working on critical investigations are now being reassigned to border enforcement duties. “Imagine telling a prosecutor you can’t testify in court because you’re at the border looking for undocumented immigrants,” Cappannelli remarked, underscoring the potential damage to legal cases and national security.
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