The Trump administration is repurposing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) criminal investigators to support border enforcement efforts as part of its expanded immigration crackdown. A request from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent seeks to deputize these agents to assist in immigration-related operations.
IRS criminal investigators, who typically probe financial crimes, will now focus on identifying trafficking networks and businesses that hire illegal immigrants. Their expertise in tracking illicit financial flows will be used to dismantle funding channels that enable illegal migration and human smuggling. These agents are trained to carry firearms and make arrests, making them an asset in broader enforcement efforts.
The move comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has conducted over 11,000 arrests in the first weeks of Trump’s second term. Reports indicate Trump is demanding stronger action and higher arrest numbers, pushing his administration to increase enforcement personnel at the border.
In addition to IRS investigators, DHS is working to roll back previous policies that restricted ICE operations. The Biden-era CBP One app, which allowed migrants to schedule asylum requests, has already been eliminated, and ICE has been granted greater authority to detain and deport illegal immigrants without restrictions.
Trump has long criticized the expansion of the IRS under Biden, arguing that agents should be reassigned to more critical roles. His administration is now following through on that position by shifting federal law enforcement resources toward immigration enforcement.
DHS and the Treasury Department have not confirmed how many agents will be sent to the border, but discussions are ongoing as part of the administration’s broader push to secure the border.
