Legal Definitions - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a primary agency within the United States federal government responsible for both law enforcement and national security. It operates under the Department of Justice and also provides intelligence to the Director of National Intelligence.

As a law enforcement agency, the FBI investigates a broad range of federal crimes that typically cross state lines, involve federal property, or impact national interests. These include complex financial fraud, cyberattacks, organized crime, violations of civil rights, and threats of terrorism.

In its national security capacity, the FBI works to protect the U.S. from foreign intelligence threats, such as espionage (spying) and sabotage, by conducting counterintelligence operations. It is led by a national director and structured into various specialized branches to carry out its diverse missions.

• Example 1: Investigating a Multi-State Cyberattack

  Imagine a sophisticated group of hackers, operating from outside the U.S., launches a widespread ransomware attack that cripples the computer systems of several major hospitals and utility companies across multiple states. Local police departments are quickly overwhelmed by the scale and complexity of the attack, which requires specialized technical expertise and international coordination.

  How this illustrates the FBI: This situation would trigger an FBI investigation because it involves a large-scale federal crime (cybercrime) that affects critical infrastructure and victims in numerous states, potentially originating internationally. Local authorities lack the jurisdiction, resources, and specialized capabilities to pursue such a complex, multi-state, and international case, making it a clear responsibility for the FBI to step in, gather digital evidence, track the perpetrators, and work towards bringing them to justice under federal law.

• Example 2: Countering Foreign Espionage

  Consider a scenario where an employee at a highly sensitive U.S. government research facility reports suspicious contact from an individual claiming to be a foreign diplomat, who is subtly attempting to gain access to classified research on advanced defense technology. The employee suspects this individual is trying to recruit them to steal secrets.

  How this illustrates the FBI: This falls directly under the FBI's national security mandate, specifically its counterintelligence role. The FBI would initiate a covert investigation to identify the foreign agent, understand their objectives, prevent the theft of classified information, and neutralize the espionage threat to U.S. national security. This demonstrates the FBI's crucial function in protecting the nation's secrets and interests from foreign adversaries.