ICE relied on tens of thousands of non-ICE officers in its recent deportation efforts, while federal drug and gun prosecutions fell to multi-decade lows, according to data from the Cato Institute and a Reuters review of court records.
The Cato Institute reported that more than 25,000 law enforcement officers have been reassigned to assist ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) since August 2025. These personnel include agents from the DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and ATF, as well as local and state police officers operating under the 287(g) program—an agreement that allows trained local officers to perform limited federal immigration functions.
Researcher David Bier of the Cato Institute said this diversion of manpower “makes Americans less safe” by drawing officers away from investigations into terrorism, child trafficking, and violent crime.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the reallocation, stating that “more personnel are needed to enforce federal law and protect communities,” calling the effort part of a nationwide staffing initiative.
The diversion has coincided with a marked decline in federal criminal prosecutions. A Reuters analysis published on September 29, 2025, found that federal drug prosecutions dropped 10%—about 1,200 cases—compared with the same period in 2024, reaching the lowest level since the late 1990s. Prosecutions for money laundering fell 24%, and gun-related prosecutions declined 5%, the outlet reported.
Law enforcement officials told Reuters that agents who once led long-term investigations are now required to participate in short-term immigration raids. A former DEA official said cases against fentanyl traffickers had stalled because key agents were “ordered to focus on deportations instead.”
At the local level, Grady Judd, sheriff of Polk County, Florida, criticized the redeployments as “pulling away personnel responsible for community safety.” The National Sheriffs’ Association also warned that the strategy could harm cooperation between federal and local agencies.
Overall, nearly half of all federal criminal cases this year involve immigration offenses, according to Reuters data—marking the most dramatic law enforcement shift in decades.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
