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Foreign Investment Review Section (FIRS)

About FIRS

The Foreign Investment Review Section is responsible for DOJ’s non-prosecutorial efforts to proactively address and manage national-security risks to cross-border transactions, business, and technology that are posed by foreign adversaries, hybrid commercial threats, and other threat actors.

These efforts span a range of case-by-case and general authorities relating to inbound and outbound foreign investments, telecommunications, data security, foreign-adversary-controlled apps, and technology supply chains, including the following:

  • Foreign Investment.  FIRS represents DOJ on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which addresses any national security risks posed by foreign investments in U.S. businesses and real estate. FIRS also participates in interagency efforts to develop and support the Outbound Investment Program administered by the Department of the Treasury.
  • Telecommunications.  FIRS carries out the Attorney General’s responsibilities as chair of Team Telecom (formally, the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector), which makes recommendations to the FCC on how to address any national security and law enforcement risks posed by telecommunications infrastructure, services, and equipment.
  • Data Security.  FIRS administers and enforces DOJ’s Data Security Program under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and 28 CFR Part 202, which establishes requirements that prohibit and restrict foreign adversaries from using commercial activities to access Americans’ sensitive personal data.
  • Foreign Adversary Apps FIRS carries out DOJ’s responsibilities under the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act of 2024 (PAFACA), including chairing the Committee for the Review of Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications, which addresses the national security risks posed by foreign-adversary-owned websites, desktop applications, mobile applications, and augmented or immersive technology applications.
  • Supply-Chain Security.  FIRS investigates national-security risks posed by foreign-sourced technology and services and their global supply chains, and refers and supports other agencies and interagency bodies in exercising a range of authorities to address any such risks, such as the Department of Commerce’s Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS), Federal Acquisition Security Council, and FCC’s Covered List.
  • Compliance and Enforcement.  FIRS facilitates and monitors compliance with these national-security authorities by U.S. and foreign companies and enforces any violations.

FIRS is also heavily involved in broader work at the intersection of technology, national security, and business, trade, and investment. This broader work includes interagency policy development and legal advice; reviewing proposed regulations and legislation; congressional engagements and briefings; international engagements with foreign partners and allies; and public outreach.

Within this work, FIRS prioritizes matters that implicates DOJ’s equities in national security, law, and intelligence. DOJ’s national-security equities include matters that implicate its counterintelligence and law-enforcement interests, including the security and privacy of sensitive data, proprietary information, and communications; telecommunications and related services; law-enforcement and intelligence tools, techniques, facilities, and jurisdiction; technologies that can enhance those risks (such as artificial intelligence, large-language models, augmented reality, and advanced computing). FIRS also plays a special role in providing legal advice to other agencies and interagency bodies, given the Attorney General’s unique legal responsibilities in advising the President and the rest of the Executive Branch, serving as the chief law enforcement officer, and conducting litigation. Finally, FIRS works closely with the Intelligence Community, particularly the FBI in its roles as the principal federal law-enforcement agency, lead agency for investigating domestic counterintelligence threats, and a critical member of the Intelligence Community.

The current Chief of FIRS is Devin A. DeBacker.

Additional resources:

Updated May 1, 2025