Law enforcement groups sound alarm over potential DHS intel rollback
Four major law enforcement groups are sounding the alarm in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about potential cuts to the intelligence-gathering arm of her agency.
The Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) and National Fusion Center Association (NFCA) warn that any potential changes to the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) current structure could have a negative ripple effect on state and local law enforcement.
"For state and local stakeholders, I&A is not just another federal component; it is an essential partner in the shared mission of protecting our communities. Its embedded personnel, analytic products, and communication platforms are vital tools for understanding and responding to threats in real time," the letter sent by the associations date July 2, 2025, and obtained by ABC News.
"When changes occur without input from the field, that partnership risks being weakened -- along with the systems that support timely and effective threat response," the letter said.
Reports have suggested that DHS plans to cut the I&A workforce by close to 75%.
The top Democrats on the House and Senate Homeland Security committees, as well as on the Intelligence Committee, also warned against the cuts.
"Radically reducing I&A's workforce at headquarters or in the field would create dangerous and unnecessary security gaps and could again leave us in the dark about the threats that lie ahead," Rep. Jim Himes, Rep. Bennie Thompson and Sen. Gary Peters said in a letter to Noem.
The groups said that they "fully recognize" the need for the intelligence apparatus to adapt to meet its current needs -- which they said they are support.
"At the same time, we believe that changes of this magnitude must be shaped through dialogue with those who rely on I&A every day -- especially given its unique role in connecting the federal intelligence community with frontline public safety agencies."
In response to the letter, a DHS spokesperson said the agency is focusing on returning to its core mission.
"DHS component leads have identified redundant positions and non-critical programs within the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. The Department is actively working to identify other wasteful positions and programs that do not align with DHS's mission to prioritize American safety and enforce our laws," the spokesperson said.
On Wednesday, Noem met with the newly formed Homeland Security Advisory Council a panel selected by her and President Donald Trump to offer advice on matters pertaining to the department, she stressed how critical DHS is to national security.
"This is a national security agency, and the decisions that we make and the things that we'll talk about are highly classified at times, and all of you are entrusted to be my advisers," she said. "To be the ones who give me advice not just on the border and immigration, citizenship, visa waiver programs, work programs, but also on FEMA, how we respond to disasters, how we contract, how we get good people that work for us and how to fire people who don't like us."
Noem said she receives an intelligence briefing every day and said the country has "vulnerabilities," something the law enforcement groups warn about in their letter.
"At a time when the threat environment is escalating -- ranging from terrorism and transnational crime to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure -- the need for strong, two-way coordination has never been more urgent," the letter said. "Decisions that affect I&A's operational capacity must be approached with transparency and collaboration, or we risk creating avoidable gaps in information sharing and coordination necessary for effective threat prevention."
