The FBI has significantly increased its domestic presence, with reports indicating that one-quarter of the agency's staff has been redirected from pursuing criminals to assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
New DOJ gang designation strategy
Interim U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Wednesday that the Department of Justice intends to use foreign terrorist organization designations against American street gangs. Speaking at the 2026 Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Blanche said the agency plans to link local gangs to international drug cartels to enable enhanced criminal penalties and greater cooperation between federal and military agencies.
FBI staff diverted to deportations
The FBI is also actively participating in the administration's mass deportation agenda. According to reporting by The Intercept, a quarter of the agency's staff has been diverted from traditional criminal investigations to support Title 8 immigration authorities, according to Blanche.
Investigation into airline security breach
The agency is currently leading an investigation into a security breach on a Frontier Airlines flight in Denver. Passengers were forced to deplane Sunday evening after an ammunition magazine was discovered on the aircraft. While the TSA is aware of the incident, the FBI is heading the probe into whether the item was left behind by a law enforcement officer.
Counterintelligence division manages espionage cases
The agency's counterintelligence division is also managing high-profile espionage cases. Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division issued a warning following the announcement that Eileen Wang, the mayor of Arcadia, California, agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for China.
Assassination attempt investigation underway
Additionally, federal authorities are investigating a recent shooting at the Washington Hilton during a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Prosecutors charged 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen with attempting to assassinate President Trump after he allegedly bypassed a security checkpoint with a long gun.
