FBI Director Kash Patel will address Senate lawmakers on Tuesday, claiming that violent crime saw its largest year-over-year reduction in U.S. history during 2025. According to his prepared remarks, the national murder rate dropped by 20% over an 18-month period while violent crime arrests increased by 90%. Patel attributes these achievements to support from the Trump administration and highlights several key accomplishments such as thwarting terrorist attacks and capturing multiple fugitives listed among the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted."
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
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FBI Director Kash Patel is set to tell lawmakers Tuesday that the FBI and its law enforcement partners have achieved what he calls the "most prolific run of crime reduction in United States history," according to his prepared opening remarks for the Senate Judiciary Committee's annual FBI oversight hearing.
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he → set → hearing
In his opening statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Patel will highlight the achievements before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will focus on recent changes within the FBI.
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which → open → FBI
The results include a major drop in murder rates, crackdowns on drug and human trafficking, successful efforts to thwart terrorist attacks and the apprehension of top fugitives.
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results → include → fugitives
According to his prepared statement, Patel attributes the gains to the Trump administration, saying the agency could not have achieved them without the administration's support.
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agency → accord → support
"In 2025, according to the Uniform Crime Report, we delivered the LARGEST year to year reduction of violent crime in AMERICAN HISTORY," Patel's statement reads.
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statement → accord → HISTORY
"They happened with an administration that BACKS the BLUE and a new FBI that has been REBUILT to crush violent threats BEFORE they harm Americans."
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they → happen → Americans
According to the FBI's figures, the national murder rate fell 20% over the previous 18 months while violent crime arrests increased 90% and violent criminal and gang member arrests rose 30%.
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arrests → accord → months
Just this weekend, the FBI disrupted a terrorist attack near Pittsburgh, according to Patel’s prepared statement.
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FBI → disrupt → statement
The suspect allegedly purchased a firearm and indicated online that he intended to carry out a violent attack on behalf of ISIS.
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he → purchase → ISIS
In total, about 1,039 individuals were thwarted from executing terrorist attacks, according to Patel's statement.
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individuals → thwart → statement
The individuals are among more than 4,260 arrests tied to Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
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individuals → tie → Organizations
Those efforts also included securing major national events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Grand Prix and UFC 250 without a single major security incident.
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efforts → include → incident
Patel is expected to announce at Tuesday's hearing the capture of Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre in Venezuela, making him the 10th FBI "Ten Most Wanted" fugitive nabbed during Patel's tenure.
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him → expect → tenure
According to Patel's prepared statement, the FBI has now captured 10 fugitives from its "Ten Most Wanted" list — more than 2.5 times the number apprehended during the previous four years combined.
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FBI → accord → years
Aguirre, according to the FBI, led "a large international conspiracy to steal millions of dollars from financial institutions in support of the Tren de Aragua, through an ATM jackpotting scheme since at least 2024."
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Aguirre → accord → 2024
Patel will also highlight that the FBI seized more than 3,258 kilograms of fentanyl, identified about 11,000 child victims and arrested more than 5,000 child predators and human traffickers.
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FBI → highlight → predators
Patel's prepared statement credits the historic transformation in American public safety and agency accountability to aggressive law enforcement, technological modernization, including artificial intelligence and operational efficiency.
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statement → prepare → intelligence
"We expanded our use of artificial intelligence by 605 percent to accelerate threat detection, triage, analysis, and processing," the statement reads.
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statement → expand → detection
Patel is expected to tell lawmakers that the FBI eliminated a multi-year backlog of 1.8 million lab samples while saving more than $300 million through spending and facilities reviews.
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FBI → expect → spending
"As we recently announced, the FBI’s Lab Division had a backlog of over 1.8 million samples that had existed for years prior to my confirmation…
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that → announce → confirmation
As of last month, that backlog is now ZERO," Patel's statement reads.
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statement → read → month
Patel will also highlight internal bureau reforms that shifted more than 1,000 agents and staff into field operations, along with the opening of a new field office in Billings, Montana, as part of the FBI's expansion in Indian Country through Operation Steadfast Promise.
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that → highlight → Promise