FBI counterintelligence squads dedicated to tracking foreign spies have suffered deep staffing cuts across the country even as threats from adversaries like China and Iran intensify.

In many of the bureau's 56 field offices, these specialized units operate at just 50 to 60 percent of authorized positions. Multiple offices have halved the number of squads assigned to counterintelligence work, according to people familiar with the situation.

The reductions stem from a deliberate reallocation of resources under the current administration. Field offices have reassigned agents and analysts from counterintelligence to focus on violent crime, gangs, and illegal immigration, which rank among top priorities. New hires are directed to those areas rather than backfilling counterintelligence vacancies.

This shift occurs against a backdrop of heightened foreign espionage risks. China continues what officials describe as a relentless effort to steal U.S. government secrets, advanced research, and technology. The United States remains engaged in a war with Iran, adding pressure on intelligence resources.

FBI Director Kash Patel recently testified that counterintelligence arrests rose 9 percent in fiscal 2026 compared to the prior period, with an 88 percent increase in Beijing-related national security cases. Overall arrests in the area increased 52 percent over the past 18 months, and removals of foreign intelligence agents jumped 125 percent.

The bureau has also experienced significant attrition. More than 1,500 special agents have left since President Trump returned to office, leaving the FBI down more than 650 agents from January 2025 levels. Experienced personnel departures particularly affect complex counterintelligence investigations that rely on long-developed sources and institutional knowledge.

Counterintelligence has fallen lower on the FBI's priority list as leadership emphasizes domestic enforcement issues. The resulting gaps leave field offices with reduced capacity to address sophisticated foreign intelligence operations at a time when adversaries show no signs of slowing their activities.