Let Good Cops Be Cops: FBI Director Patel’s Remarks At Virginia Homeland Security Task Force Press Conference

The FBI released FBI Director Kash Patel’s remarks at the press conference after the FBI and other law enforcement officers took down an illegal alien who is reportedly the number 3 leader in the brutal gang MS-13:

This is what happens when you let good cops be cops. And we’re going to continue to let good cops be cops across this country.  

President Trump gave us the executive decision to go after and safeguard our communities. General Bondi (seen in the above Justice Department photo with Patel) is our warrior of justice leading that charge. Governor Youngkin, it’s an honor to be a partner in this operation with you and U.S. Attorney Siebert. 

This is the mandate we have. Right now, we have an American dying every seven minutes from a drug overdose. That is a national security crisis we have not seen ever before. We have a woman or child being raped every six and a half minutes in this country. We have a homicide twice an hour. No part of that metric is a safe and secure America.  

But thanks to the brave leadership of this administration and the folks that you see here, we are returning our communities to safety.  

As you heard, we took down this morning a top leader of MS-13. That is not done easily. That is done with brilliant law enforcement. And right here, I’m proud—and I think the governor knows I’m biased, having graduated from the University of Richmond—to have this here in the state of Virginia, here at our Northern Virginia Resident Agency, with our partnership with our Washington Field Office and our special agents, our SOS folks, our intel analysts, and our support staff. 

My priority has been law enforcement across the country, and that will not change. But law enforcement across the country cannot be done just by Washington, D.C., and the federal government alone.  

This task force was stood up one month ago. In one month, the brave men and women on this task force from state, local, and federal authorities have arrested 342 criminals in the state of Virginia alone. 

We wanted this to be a successful model. It is a successful model because of you—because of your men and women on the streets. We have the easy job in Washington, D.C. You take it to the max every single day. You put your safety on the line. You put your selfless desires ahead of going home and seeing your families at night because you care more about safeguarding our schools and our community than you do about your own safety. So we will always have the backs of good cops because you have the backs of the American people.  

And this task force is going to go everywhere it is needed across the United States to bring the form of justice and measured security and safety that our American citizens deserve. It is an America First model because we live in the United States of America. And if you are here illegally, you will not be here any longer. And if you are going to continue to commit acts of violent crime, you will meet the same fate that this individual did this morning. 

And I just want to reiterate what our partners said behind us. This is not possible without the folks that do the job every single day. And as Director of the FBI, it’s a privilege to lead some of these brave men and women. 

And the only ask that I have of you in the community is the next time you see a cop, thank them. The next time you see someone safeguarding our schools, shake their hand. The next time you see our brave men and women of the FBI and the local and federal and state police take down a violent terrorist, maybe give them a hug. 

Because those guys—those gals—are the ones that are going to continue to keep our cities safe. And we will not stop until this national security crisis is recognized, brought into check, and eliminated.  

Thank you.