The Department of Homeland Security has authorized law enforcement agents from across the federal government to partake in “investigating, determining the location of, and apprehending” undocumented migrants, issuing a directive aimed at operationalizing the president’s signature campaign promise on immigration, according to a memo obtained by CBS News.
The directive allows federal law enforcement agents to conduct immigration-related enforcement actions that are usually reserved for officials under the Department of Homeland Security.
The memo, authored by acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman, says DHS will grant “the functions of an immigration officer” to several Justice Department law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Despite a burst of policy changes since Trump took office, no large-scale immigration operations have been carried out yet.
The memo, addressed to the acting attorney general, also underscores that agents within the FBI already have immigration-arresting powers, known as Title 8 authority, and while infrequently used previously, such authorities have now been conferred onto the other agencies.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the memo.
The ATF and DEA are conventionally not involved with immigration enforcement, with exceptions related to drug trafficking or firearm violations. According to the new memo, that could soon change. The U.S. Marshals Service routinely assists in immigration-related cases involving federal fugitives, and some work alongside Homeland Security Investigations at the border to thwart transnational criminal organizations, part of DHS’ Border Enforcement Security Task Force.
While the memo falls short of deputizing agents or detailing specific personnel to partake in the president’s planned deportation campaign, administration officials appear to working to increase the number of law enforcement agents who can carry out immigration-related matters.
In a statement, Huffman said, “Mobilizing these law enforcement officials will help fulfill President Trump’s promise to the American people to carry out mass deportations. For decades, efforts to find and apprehend illegal aliens have not been given proper resources. This is a major step in fixing that problem.”
The move comes after Justice Department officials issued a directive to department staff emphasizing Mr. Trump’s immigration priorities. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed prosecutors to investigate and potentially charge state or local officials who impede federal immigration efforts. According to a separate memo obtained by CBS News, Bove also instructed Justice Department components like the FBI and ATF to identify any evidence related to noncitizens in the U.S. within 60 days and pass that information along to DHS.
CBS News has reached out to the Justice Department and its law enforcement components for further comment on the new authorization. The FBI referred the matter to the Justice Department and DHS.
