A federal agent is a person who is employed by the government to enforce federal laws and regulations. There are several other terms used to refer to these individuals, including federal law enforcement officer, federal investigator, federal officer, and federal agent. Most of these designations are interchangeable and are used to describe individuals who are responsible for protecting the interests of the federal government. Some specific examples of federal agents include FBI agents, ATF agents, and members of the Secret Service. Regardless of the specific title, all federal agents have the authority to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who violate federal laws.