President Donald Trump’s administration is deploying Internal Revenue Service (IRS) criminal investigators to assist with border enforcement as part of a broader push to remove illegal immigrants. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent a request to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, asking for IRS law enforcement personnel to be deputized for immigration-related operations.
These agents, usually tasked with investigating financial crimes, are authorized to carry firearms and make arrests. Their role at the border will include identifying businesses employing illegal immigrants and tracking financial networks tied to human trafficking. Documents detailing the request indicate that IRS investigators will also assist in detaining and transporting individuals arrested during border enforcement actions.
Trump had previously suggested reassigning IRS personnel to immigration duties rather than their traditional tax enforcement roles. His administration has moved quickly on this front, working to redirect government resources toward stricter border enforcement. The IRS has approximately 2,100 trained criminal investigators, and while it is unclear how many will be reassigned, discussions between the Treasury and Homeland Security departments are ongoing.
This decision follows several recent actions taken by the administration to ramp up deportations. Within the first 18 days of Trump’s second term, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reported over 11,000 arrests. Despite this, Trump has reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of removals, pushing for even more aggressive enforcement measures.
The administration has already shut down the CBP One app, which had been used under Biden’s policies to facilitate asylum claims, and has lifted restrictions on ICE agents that previously limited their ability to detain individuals. With the addition of IRS investigators, border enforcement efforts are set to expand further.
The Treasury Department has yet to confirm how many IRS agents will be assigned to these efforts, but the administration continues to explore ways to increase personnel at the border. Additional federal law enforcement resources may soon be redirected to immigration enforcement as part of Trump’s broader strategy.
