FBI’s Patel defends Chicago’s role in immigration enforcement amid resistance

EXCLUSIVE: As the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts face continued resistance in Chicago, FBI Director Kash Patel has passionately defended the bureau’s supporting role in the Windy City, telling Fox News Digital that agents are “just doing their job to protect the streets.”

Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche were on the ground, visiting the Chicago field office Tuesday morning and explaining why the FBI needed to “flex its resources” to help DHS.

“The environment here in Chicago needs a focused effort, not only to eliminate violent crime, but also to eliminate illegal aliens who are linked to these violent crimes,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “And this is the result of years of failed policies by the previous administration that allowed so many illegal aliens and so much criminal activity to occur here in Chicago, in the state of Illinois.”

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FBI Director Kash Patel visited the FBI Chicago Field Office on October 7, 2025. (Fox News)

Although immigration enforcement is not an integral part of the FBI’s work, Patel said “every three-letter agency” in the Trump administration is “moving toward the same mission.” He called the concerted campaign a “whole-of-government approach.”

And Patel added that the mission goes well beyond immigration control and also touches on the distribution of narcotics, government officials who are suddenly targeted for death and agents whose lives are in danger.

Patel praised the efforts of officers serving with the Chicago Police Department, calling them “tremendous partners” and saying “they do their job with us every day.” It did, however, draw a stark contrast between the rank and file and their bosses.

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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks during a news conference amid reports of federal deployments in Chicago, September 2, 2025. (Kamil Krazaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)

But they report to elected leaders,” he said. “And I think it’s our duty to call out those who prioritize illegal immigrants and crime over those they serve in the city they’re supposed to protect. So I’m going to call him for as long as it takes.”

President Donald Trump’s effort to deploy National Guard troops to protect federal officials and property in Chicago has already been thrown into court.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel spoke with Fox News Digital during their visit to Chicago. (Screenshot/Fox News Digital)

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But Blanche said it was clear the Guard was needed to help clean up Chicago’s high-crime streets.

“I mean, at this point, it’s almost laughable, laughable for the state government to stand up and say, don’t let the National Guard in,” Blanche said. “I mean, they have access to the same television that I have access to. And of course we need the National Guard.”