Democrats, GOP Senator Grill Patel on Dropped Bestiality Restriction in FBI Hiring.

FBI Director Kash Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that a revised hiring rule dropping bestiality as an automatic disqualifier is meant to protect trafficking victims, not recruit offenders.

• The FBI in June removed automatic disqualification for applicants who engaged in bestiality, paid for sex, or stole from an employer.
• More than 1,000 special agents left the bureau in 2025, per an analysis of federal personnel data from Justice Connection.
• Patel said people who voluntarily engaged in bestiality would still be disqualified; trafficking victims would not.
• Patel said people who forced others into bestiality "all are" in jail and remain ineligible.

Why it matters: The policy change sits at the center of a broader dispute over FBI hiring quality during a documented staffing shortage.

• Retired FBI agent Daniel Brunner told the Associated Press the relaxed standards likely signal a shallow applicant pool.

How 33 sources split on this story

Where they split: Democrats argue the rule lowers FBI standards; Patel argues it corrects an unfair barrier for trafficking survivors.

What’s next: Senate Democrats and House counterparts are separately investigating Patel's use of taxpayer funds for travel and luxury vehicles.

• Republican Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley has also demanded answers from Patel about government aircraft use and vehicle purchases.
• What specific cases of trafficking victims did FBI staff present to Patel that prompted the rule change?
• How many FBI applicants have been affected by the old bestiality disqualification rule?