The FBI has directed its agents to focus more on immigration enforcement and reduce efforts on white-collar crime investigations, as revealed by multiple sources familiar with internal discussions. This shift in priorities comes as the Justice Department, under new guidance from Matthew Galeotti, scales back the types of white-collar cases it will pursue, aiming to minimize the impact of such investigations.
FBI agents have reportedly been instructed to allocate about one-third of their time assisting the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. This change may influence field offices across the country, although the number of offices impacted remains unclear. An FBI spokesperson did not provide any comments on the situation.
Galeotti’s memo outlines specific white-collar crime categories that the Justice Department will continue to prioritize, such as healthcare fraud, trade and customs fraud, elder securities fraud, and significant money laundering, particularly associated with organizations linked to transnational crime. The guidance also reveals an intention to refine the whistleblower award program to encourage reporting on cases leading to forfeiture involving cartels and transnational organizations, alongside violations of immigration law.
Historically, the Justice Department has not concentrated heavily on immigration enforcement. However, the escalating focus on immigration under the Trump administration has compelled federal law enforcement officials from various agencies to allocate resources toward immigration-related duties. This shift comes alongside the previous announcement by Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to diminish the prosecution of certain white-collar offenses, including public corruption and foreign bribery.
The new directives represent a significant change in the operational focus of the FBI and Justice Department, reflecting broader policy objectives in a changing landscape of law enforcement.
This reallocation of resources could lead to more rigorous immigration enforcement while potentially neglecting other forms of white-collar misconduct, which can also significantly impact the economy and society. It remains to be seen how effectively these changes will be implemented and what their long-term implications will be on both immigration law enforcement and white-collar crime prosecution.