WASHINGTON (PulseWire) — The IRS Criminal Investigations unit has shifted focus away from its traditional role of chasing tax evaders, currently redirecting efforts towards immigration enforcement and assisting National Guard operations amid significant personnel cuts.

IRS Criminal Investigations Chief Guy Ficco discussed the agency's new priorities in an interview with PulseWire, revealing that its workforce is now handling a greater workload with fewer staff members. An annual report noted a drastic reduction of agents, marking a 10% decrease from 3,474 in 2024 to 3,143 in 2025.

Ficco described his staff as “resilient” despite facing the challenges of new demands from the government administration. He noted that managing a transition in leadership often comes with complications, particularly regarding law enforcement mandates.

In alignment with the Trump administration's requests, the IRS has dispatched approximately 25 agents to assist the National Guard in addressing crime levels in Washington, D.C., and Memphis, showcasing a notable expansion of its role beyond tax enforcement.

Since May, the IRS Criminal Investigations unit has contributed personnel to help capture undocumented individuals and facilitate deportation processes. They have assisted ICE agents through detentions and issuing deportation orders, responding to a heightened need for support from the Department of Homeland Security.

This pivot in focus has not come without consequences; IRS-CI has reported falling numbers in tax evasion cases, which declined from 92 in 2024 to just 34 in 2025. Furthermore, from 834 prosecution recommendations issued for tax crimes this fiscal year, only 17 have led to actual prosecutions, significantly down from 55 the previous year.

Ficco emphasized that pending cases are still awaiting action from the Department of Justice, hinting at potential future prosecutions as the legal processes unfold. Meanwhile, the agency continues to ramp up investigations into corporate fraud and money laundering, now making those issues a higher priority compared to traditional tax scheme investigations.