Report: FBI Won't Investigate ICE Confrontations, DHS Denies Change

The FBI will no longer investigate confrontations involving ICE agents, according to a report obtained by the New York Times (Lean Left bias). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied these claims. The story was mostly covered by outlets on the left.

The Details: FBI managers across the country reportedly received a written notice informing them of the policy on Thursday, according to the Times. It reported that under the change, the responsibility of investigating cases would likely fall to Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of ICE. The Times primarily cited unnamed sources who were reportedly briefed on the decision. DHS called these claims false, saying "The relationship between DHS and [the Justice Department] in investigating assault on federal officer cases has NOT changed, and [the FBI] will continue to investigate in accordance with agency policy."

Implications: The Times heavily focused on the implications of this policy if enacted and what it means for accountability. It emphasized the importance of these investigations, writing that even though they are "intended to determine whether [federal] officers were in fact attacked, they can provide a crucial means of gathering evidence implicating the agents themselves." The Times said that without the FBI investigating, ICE would essentially investigate itself. It also contextualized the notice within the recent killings of two civilians during ICE operations and said the decision comes as "the Trump administration draws mounting criticism" over these deaths, which it said have "thrust the government's tactics back into the spotlight."

'False' Reporting: Outlets across the political spectrum also noted the DHS's response that the change was "false." Fox News (Right) was one of the only right-leaning outlets AllSides found to cover the report on Monday. It emphasized DHS's claims and described the back-and-forth between DHS and The Times. Fox noted that while protests have renewed over the recent deaths, DHS has also said attacks against ICE agents have "significantly increased" in the line of duty.

ICE Investigations: Straight Arrow News (Center) included the Times' report that the Trump administration has filed charges against over 550 for assaulting a federal officer. It reported that around 400 of the charges have been resolved, with about half resulting in acquittals or charges being dropped. It included that sources told The Times that these investigations often produced evidence that could be used to try immigration officers for local or civil rights offenses instead.

For Context: ICE agents fatally shot two civilians, Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Maine and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas, in July during operations. Following the shootings, ICE was instructed to stop most vehicle stops nationwide, however President Trump reversed the decision soon after. ICE officers have been involved in at least 22 shootings since March 2025. In February, DHS said ICE law enforcement was facing a 3,300% increase in vehicular attacks during operations.

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