Thousands of agents diverted to Trump immigration crackdown
Brad Heath, Joshua Schneyer, Marisa Taylor, Sarah N. Lynch, Mike Spector
Reuters
March 22, 2025
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/22/trump-administration-diverts-agents-immigration-enforcement/82610013007/
WASHINGTON − Federal agents who usually hunt down child abusers are now cracking down on immigrants who live in the U.S. illegally.
Homeland Security investigators who specialize in money laundering are raiding restaurants and other small businesses looking for immigrants who arent authorized to work.
Agents who pursue drug traffickers and tax fraud are being reassigned to enforce immigration law.
As U.S. President Donald Trump pledges to deport millions and millions of criminal aliens, thousands of federal law enforcement officials from multiple agencies are being enlisted to take on new work as immigration enforcers, pulling crime-fighting resources away on other areas − from drug trafficking and terrorism to sexual abuse and fraud.
This account of Trumps push to reorganize federal law enforcement the most significant since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks is based on interviews with more than 20 current and former federal agents, attorneys and other federal officials. Most had first-hand knowledge of the changes. Nearly all spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss their work.
Thousands of agents diverted to Trump immigration crackdown