NYT: FBI ordered to stop investigating clashes involving ICE

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly instructed agents nationwide to stop investigating confrontations involving federal immigration officers, a move that could significantly reduce independent scrutiny of incidents involving the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to people familiar with the decision speaking with The New York Times.

The reported directive, issued to FBI managers on July 16, would end bureau investigations into alleged assaults on DHS personnel, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Current FBI inquiries into such incidents can uncover evidence relevant not only to alleged assaults on officers but also to potential misconduct by the officers involved.

According to individuals briefed on the matter, some ICE agents were also informed of the change by their FBI counterparts. If implemented, responsibility for investigating incidents involving federal immigration officers would likely shift to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an investigative arm of ICE, effectively placing many cases under the agency's own oversight.

The reported policy change comes as the Trump administration faces growing scrutiny over the use of force by federal immigration officers. In recent weeks, fatal shootings involving ICE agents in Texas and Maine have renewed public attention on immigration enforcement tactics and accountability.

However, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security denied that any such policy change is underway. In a joint statement, the agencies rejected reports that the FBI would cease investigating cases involving immigration officers.

Investigations into alleged assaults on federal officers have become increasingly contentious during the Trump administration, as federal prosecutors have pursued a growing number of cases linked to protests and immigration enforcement operations. Under U.S. law, individuals can face felony charges for forcibly assaulting, resisting, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal law enforcement officers.

According to an investigation by The New York Times, the Trump administration has brought assault charges against more than 550 people accused of attacking federal officers. Of the more than 400 cases that have been resolved, nearly half ended with charges being dismissed or withdrawn, or with defendants being acquitted.

By Sabina Mammadli