In brief
The IRS Criminal Investigations unit has reduced its focus on tracking tax evasion, shifting resources to support immigration enforcement and National Guard assignments in two Democratic-led cities. With personnel numbers down by 10%, Chief Guy Ficco notes that the agency faces challenges in balancing its new responsibilities alongside its core mission. Recent statistics indicate a significant decline in tax crime recommendations and prosecutions due to these changes.
The IRS Criminal Investigation division has shifted its focus this year, spending less time on tax evasion and more on aiding with immigration enforcement and providing support to National Guard operations in two Democratic-led cities. Chief Guy Ficco indicated that his team is doing more with fewer resources, as the number of personnel in the agency has reportedly decreased by about 10%, from 3,474 to 3,143 agents and professional staff. This change in priorities includes sending agents to assist in crime resolution tasks in Washington D.C. as well as in Memphis. The unit has also been deployed to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in tracking undocumented individuals and enforcing federal immigration laws.While the IRS-CI has increased its efforts against financial fraud and money laundering, it has seen a marked decline in its tax evasion cases. The agency reported that tax crime recommendations dropped significantly, with only 834 cases in 2025 compared to previous years. Overall, the volume of investigations for "abusive tax schemes" was notably low, reflecting the new operational direction the IRS is taking amidst a challenging administrative landscape.
