MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei creates local version of FBI

The Federal Police will focus on the root of crime, not “on the symptom,” Milei argued

Argentine President Javier Milei and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich signed a decree expanding the scope of the Federal Police's (PFA) duties to focus primarily on investigative tasks, it was announced Tuesday in Buenos Aires. Tuesday's reform repeals a 1958 decree-law from military ruling times.

 ”We are going to learn from the best (...) And we are going to make the necessary investments, equipping ourselves with state-of-the-art technology, in forensic matters, in information technology and communication,“ Milei said. ”The State cannot have less technical capacity than drug traffickers and terrorists,” he added.

Decree 383/2025 provides for the creation of the Federal Department of Investigations (DFI) through which the PFA will shift from urban patrolling to criminal investigation, targeting complex crimes such as drug trafficking, terrorism, human trafficking, and money laundering. The DFI will specialize in dismantling criminal organizations, drawing inspiration from the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), it was explained.

The reforms introduce advanced forensic technologies, information systems, and professional training to align the PFA with international standards, coupled with a adequately-funded modernization program. The PFA will also cut down its recruitment of non-commissioned officers.

As per the new rule, the PFA may now conduct crime prevention tasks in digital public spaces (e.g., open social networks and websites) without a judge's warraant, assuming personal data and privacy rights are respected. In addition, officers can also perform searches and detain individuals for up to 10 hours based on “objective presumptions” of criminal activity.

The Federal Department of Coordination (DFC) will handle administrative functions and internal reorganization. The decree also allows exemptions from mandatory retirement for senior officers and the recall of retired personnel.

In short, the shift means that the PFA will leave policing up to local forces, while enabling a more efficient structure for tackling federal crimes. ”From today we will have a Federal (Police), no longer focused on patrolling the streets, as the local police do, but focused on criminal investigation, at the service of dismantling criminal organizations,” the head of State also pointed out.

Enacted without congressional approval by a democratic government, the measure raised legality concerns about the expanded police powers, particularly in digital surveillance and warrantless detentions.