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A report presented to the House Judiciary Committee by an alliance of both retired and active-duty FBI agents and analysts has exposed a troubling decline in the bureau’s recruitment standards.
The English acronym for the policies—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)—mirrors the Spanish terms, shedding light on the nature of the changes. Under these guidelines, FBI Director Chris Wray significantly lowered recruitment standards across all areas of selection.
The problem is not confined to ideological concerns; it extends to genuine risks regarding the health and operational integrity of the FBI itself. According to whistleblowers, these irregularities affect several critical areas: physical fitness, illicit drug use, financial irregularities, mental health, full-time work experience, and integrity.
These whistleblowers argue that such lax standards endanger the FBI’s ability to safeguard the nation from threats—perhaps even from within the bureau itself. The failure to consider the physical and mental health of candidates is particularly concerning, as it means individuals who may be unfit for duty are still being admitted.
For instance, the report highlights cases of new recruits who suffer from morbid obesity, rendering them unfit for service. Not only do they fail to meet the already-relaxed physical fitness standards, but some cannot even pass the modified tests designed to accommodate lower thresholds. In other words, despite a reduction in standards, many of today’s candidates still fall short—but are allowed to continue in the process nonetheless.
In addition, the whistleblowers cite troubling cases regarding intellectual abilities, with some candidates being functionally illiterate and requiring remedial English lessons. There are also instances of recruits with severe disabilities or mental health issues, whose behavior reportedly causes disruption within the agency. Regarding work performance, new recruits are criticized for refusing to work weekends or overtime.
Perhaps most alarming, however, is the accusation that the FBI no longer seeks to recruit the «best and brightest» as special agents. Instead, the agency allegedly prioritizes candidates based on “race, gender, and/or sexual orientation.”
Several examples illustrate these claims. One instance involves a veteran special agent supervisor, identified as SIERRA 72, who disqualified a candidate for being more than 50 pounds overweight, as measured by the FBI’s body fat index, and failing the physical fitness test. However, because the candidate was Black, FBI headquarters reportedly intervened, instructing SIERRA 72 to continue advancing her through the recruitment process.
The report also describes multiple cases where the FBI has relaxed its standards so much that applicants with histories of drug use are now being accepted. A veteran agent working as a recruitment coordinator, SIERRA 87, revealed that a candidate who had been arrested and fought with police officers was allowed to proceed, as were candidates with DUI convictions or documented mental health disorders.
In light of these revelations, commentator Jack Posobiec raised a pointed criticism, stating:
«Did you know? Chris Wray’s DEI initiatives have pressured the FBI to approve new recruits who are illiterate, overweight, use drugs, or fail the entrance exams—as long as they are women and non-white.»
