FBI Puts Investigations on Hold Due to US Gov't Shutdown – Agents Association

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been forced to put investigations on hold because of the US federal government shutdown, compromising many important probes, the FBI Agents Association said in a report on Tuesday.

“The report details how a lack of funding caused by the government shutdown is undermining criminal, counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence operations; delaying and complicating child trafficking and exploitation investigations,” the association said in a press release.

The shutdown is also reducing informant cooperation; and hindering a wide range of other efforts, the report said.

"We are in the middle of a critical OCDETF [Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force] investigation targeting kilo- quantity trafficking of methamphetamine and heroin… our task force is unable to continue these critical investigations," one officer warned in the report.

The report shows that agents' basic operations needs are being compromised as a result of prohibitions against buying pre-paid phone cards, booking air travel, and using official FBI vehicles because there is no funding for gasoline, the association said.

Earlier this month, the association urged US lawmakers to fund the Justice Department amid the partial government shutdown saying that it was a matter of national security.

Parts of the US federal government have remained closed for the last 20 days as US President Donald Trump and Democrats have battled over the president's request for $5.7 billion to build a wall on the southern border.