A big change on FBI policies for Trump: Prioritizing chasing immigrants instead of delinquents on U.S.
More than 1,000 federal agents in the FBI's New York office will be dedicated exclusively to the search for undocumented immigrants, expanding their focus to more than 25 U.S. cities.
Over 1,000 federal agents will have their duties changed to only search for undocumented immigrants in the largest FBI office in New York. However, in Atlanta, this number exceeds half of the active agents.
This focus extends to more than 25 cities all over the U.S. It is a response to internal management during Donald Trump's second administration. This is another measure that affects the so-called "sanctuary cities" targeted by the National Security Agency.
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What are the implications of the FBI focus change?
The Department of Justice has assigned over 2,000 federal agents to cooperate with the National Security Agency. They must support the identification and location of undocumented immigrants during 2025. Although the measure has not been officially announced, a memo obtained by NBC News confirms the increased participation of the FBI.
The focus change has created internal discomfort. An FBI agent spoke to NBC News under anonymity. The agent expressed that many agents feel uncomfortable with their new roles. He also said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not as organized as federal investigations and showed concern about that issue.
Kash Patel, FBI Director, is focusing the agency in other paths. Photo: AFP News
The focus change is being led by Kash Patel
This change in the FBI's functions is just part of a larger measure promoted by Kash Patel, head of the FBI and a close associate of President Donald Trump. Under his leadership, the FBI is reinforcing its focus on immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crimes.
Patel has also announced the relocation of nearly 15,000 agents outside the Washington Metropolitan area. This aims to spread more agents into areas with higher crime rates. However, there is no official state or city where those agents will be reassigned. One of the new FBI priorities includes the detention of Judge Hannah Dugan for allegedly obstructing an immigration raid and the arrests of pro-Palestine students in colleges.
