Chicago – August 24, 2026
Fentanyl investigations and seizures by federal authorities declined sharply as the Trump administration redirected thousands of law-enforcement hours toward immigration enforcement, according to a federal watchdog report.
The Department of Homeland Security inspector general found that Homeland Security Investigations spent about 31 percent fewer hours on fentanyl investigations in fiscal year 2025 compared with the previous year. The number of fentanyl investigations initiated also fell by 24 percent, while fentanyl seizures dropped 39 percent.
At the same time, HSI devoted more than 1.7 million additional hours to immigration enforcement, an increase of more than 800 percent. The report said some drug-investigation teams were reduced after agents were reassigned to immigration cases.
The findings highlight the competition for limited federal investigative resources as the administration intensified its immigration crackdown. The watchdog recommended that agencies review staffing levels to ensure adequate resources for fentanyl investigations.
HSI and ICE agreed to the recommendations and said related staffing reviews could be completed by June 2027.
