Trump Administration Expands Federal Agency Roles to Intensify Immigration Enforcement

The Trump administration is intensifying its focus on immigration by empowering more federal agents across various government agencies to assist with deportation efforts. This move, part of President Trump’s long-standing promise to make immigration a central pillar of his second-term agenda, was outlined in a memo reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The memo, sent by Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman, proposes granting agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service authority equivalent to that of immigration officers. According to the Journal, this initiative marks a significant shift in federal immigration enforcement strategy under the Trump administration.

“Though the memo doesn’t directly deputize those agents to assist with President Trump’s promised deportation campaign, administration officials are planning for the Justice Department to cooperate by lending some agents,” a source familiar with the matter told the Journal.

Traditionally, agencies like the ATF and DEA have avoided involvement in immigration enforcement, except when cases involved overlapping issues like gun or drug trafficking violations. Expanding their responsibilities could strain their resources, as highlighted by the Journal: “Officials in these agencies have long complained that they are already strapped for resources they need for their core missions of fighting violent crime and drug enforcement and policing immigration violations would add more to their plates.”

This initiative is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to ramp up immigration enforcement. On Tuesday, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove authorized federal prosecutors nationwide to investigate local officials accused of obstructing immigration enforcement efforts.

The push continued on Wednesday with an announcement from the Pentagon, confirming plans to send 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to support immigration control efforts. This deployment underscores the administration’s commitment to enforcing stricter immigration policies amid ongoing debates over resource allocation and agency priorities.

As the administration’s measures take shape, questions remain about the feasibility and impact of involving non-immigration-focused agencies in deportation efforts. The memo reflects the administration’s determination to solidify its immigration agenda, even as it sparks concerns about diverting resources from other critical missions.