FBI Shifts Immigration Agent Cases to HSI After Recent Fatal Shootings, Sources Say

The FBI will no longer participate in investigations into cases involving alleged assaults on immigration agents, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The federal law enforcement agency would instead be deferring such investigations to Homeland Security Investigations, the sources said. The FBI field offices were informed of the change on Thursday, according to the sources.

HSI is an arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, both of which are overseen by the Department of Homeland Security, meaning the immigration enforcement agency would effectively be investigating incidents involving its own agents.

The change was first reported by The New York Times.

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When HSI was tasked with leading the federal investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January, with the help of the FBI, the decision raised questions among current and former federal law enforcement officials.

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HSI is not typically tasked with investigating officer-involved shootings and is not structured or equipped to handle core elements of such cases, including ballistics analysis, forensic processing, firearm examinations, video review and large-scale witness canvassing.