Executive Summary
- Internal data indicates a 73 percent drop in weapons seizures by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) over the past fiscal year.
- Civil immigration arrests by HSI agents surged from approximately 5,000 to more than 94,500 during the same period.
- Narcotics arrests declined by 11 percent as agents were reassigned to support President Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.
- White House officials defended the strategy, characterizing the operational shift as a success despite the drop in seizure metrics.
Drug and weapons seizures by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) experienced a significant decline over the past fiscal year as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reassigned special agents from complex criminal cases to support President Trump’s expanded immigration enforcement efforts. According to internal data reviewed by The New York Times, the strategic shift resulted in a 73 percent drop in weapons seizures, falling from nearly 41,400 in the previous year to fewer than 11,200.
The report, which compares the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, with the prior year, indicates that narcotics arrests fell by approximately 11 percent, while new narcotics investigations declined by 15 percent. Conversely, civil immigration arrests conducted by HSI agents surged from approximately 5,000 to more than 94,500. This data underscores a substantial reallocation of resources, moving agents from transnational crime investigations—such as drug smuggling and financial fraud—to locating and detaining undocumented immigrants.
Current and former officials cited by the outlet stated that the operational shift was a direct response to sustained pressure from the White House to increase deportation numbers. The data suggests that HSI, traditionally ICE’s criminal investigations arm, has been deeply integrated into Enforcement and Removal Operations. The report also highlighted that HSI agents assisted 20 percent fewer human trafficking victims and opened considerably fewer “significant cases” involving global criminal networks.
In a message to staff, HSI acting leader John A. Condon described the increase in immigration arrests as a “monumental achievement.” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s strategy, telling the outlet that the data demonstrated “success.” Jackson argued that declines in specific crime categories can fluctuate annually and accused The New York Times of “cherry-picking” data. Administration officials maintain that immigration enforcement is integral to national security and combating crime.
Operational Impact Analysis
The reassignment of HSI personnel reflects a distinct prioritization of civil immigration enforcement over the agency’s traditional focus on transnational criminal organizations. This strategic pivot raises questions regarding the federal government’s capacity to maintain pressure on global drug and weapons trafficking networks while simultaneously executing large-scale deportation operations. The statistical decline in significant case initiations suggests a potential trade-off in long-term investigative capabilities for immediate enforcement metrics. It is important to note that all individuals arrested or charged in connection with these investigations are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
