ICE, working with the FBI and several other law enforcement agencies, conducted a series of immigration enforcement operations in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard in May 2025. (ICE)
The data comes as Patel has faced media scrutiny for the dramatic shakeup at the bureau during the past four months, which has involved ousting senior officials and other employees or attempting to relocate them to new field offices. Some reports say many agents and employees have been reassigned at times to help the DHS with immigration enforcement.
Patel adviser Erica Knight said the bureau’s priorities have changed to arresting allegedly criminal immigrants in part because of the surge in illegal migration during the Biden administration.
"With over 10,000 immigration-related arrests, the Bureau under the direction of Director Patel is making it clear, it’s not turning a blind eye to the border crisis, it’s targeting the violent cartels and criminal networks that are exploiting it," Knight said. "This is the direction Americans have been demanding, and the Bureau is delivering on the promise to put safety and sovereignty first."
Of the roughly 38,000 employees at the FBI, 13,192 have been tasked at some point since January with working on immigration enforcement, according to the data. Employees include both agents and support staff.
The most recent week of data showed the highest number of employees working on immigration tasks were concentrated in the Los Angeles field office, followed by the Philadelphia, Houston, and San Antonio field offices.
FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: WE WILL BE STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS
Attorney General Pam Bondi, left, FBI Director Kash Patel, center, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, center right, are seen on Wednesday, March 5, awaiting Muhammed Sharifullah's arrival to the U.S. following his arrest overseas. (Justice Department)
A retired FBI agent who worked in the bureau for two decades told Fox News Digital that his understanding from interacting with a handful of agents is that some are likely to "grumble about" the new immigration enforcement work, while others view it as necessary to address the recent years' influx of migrants into the country.
"The fact that the bureau is helping out on this stuff now is just because it's unusual times," the retired agent said. "We've never had a presidential administration … import 9 million potential threats into its country, or whatever that number is, so the FBI having to get involved in this stuff is unusual, but it's also necessary."
"I think it was inevitable the FBI does get involved, but the trick is they've got to juggle helping out DHS and also tending the farm," he said.
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The retired agent also said the bureau "brings a lot to the table that these other agencies just don't have," such as new sources, databases, and skill sets. He also said the work can be beneficial for the FBI because of the intelligence-gathering opportunity it presents.
"I would hope they're exploiting every single one of these guys, clearly debriefing them and finding out what they know and who they know," he said.
Ashley Oliver is a reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, covering the Justice Department and legal affairs. Email story tips to ashley.oliver@fox.com.
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