Kash Patel cites 40K violent arrests, blames 'open borders' for crime spike

WASHINGTON, DC: FBI Director Kash Patel used a podcast appearance to spotlight what he called a dramatic rise in violent crime arrests under Donald Trump, claiming the FBI took 40,000 violent offenders off the streets in 2025 alone.

Speaking on 'Hang out with Sean Hannity' in an episode that premiered Tuesday, May 5, Patel highlighted the figure as one of the clearest signs yet of what he described as a major law enforcement turnaround under the current administration.

Patel links crime spike to 'open borders'

During the interview, Patel said the bureau’s violent crime arrests rose 112 percent compared with 2024, arguing the scale of the increase reflects both stronger enforcement and the fallout of earlier failures. 

He said the FBI’s overall arrests in 2025 were closer to 80,000, but stressed that the 40,000 violent offenders represented the real story.

Patel challenged critics to look beyond the headline number.

“Break that down by state. Do the math,” he said, arguing that the figures reveal how deeply violent criminal networks had spread across the country.

Patel then pivoted to politics, blaming what he called “open borders policy” and softer approaches to policing for creating the conditions that allowed violent offenders to thrive.

He also credited Trump for reversing what he described as anti-law enforcement momentum in previous years.

According to Patel, “Trump resourced law enforcement and the FBI,” while political opponents pushed “defund the police” narratives that weakened public safety efforts.

He went even further, calling Trump “the most successful president in US history in reducing crime,” and argued that if a Democratic administration had posted similar numbers, major media outlets would be covering it nonstop.

Kash Patel warns on China espionage

Beyond violent crime, Patel said the bureau has also significantly expanded its counterintelligence operations, particularly against China.

He claimed the FBI recorded a 47 percent increase in arrests involving Chinese espionage suspects over the past year, including cases involving individuals allegedly recruited inside branches of the US military.

Patel said investigators are now making “multiple arrests a month” involving the theft of classified information and the transfer of US secrets to foreign governments.

He referenced recent prosecutions involving military personnel, including US Navy sailors, and said foreign intelligence threats extend beyond China to actors linked to Russia and other adversaries.

According to Patel, rooting out those networks, whether outside government or from within US institutions, has become one of the bureau’s highest operational priorities.