A tubular debris shield and diverter mounted in a high pressure flow passage within a fuel injector, provide the dual functions of passing the main flow of high pressure fuel with large debris particles to relatively large discharge openings, such as the injector spray holes, while allowing some high pressure fuel to flow through a multitude of very small transverse holes to a sensitive hydraulic component, such an injector control valve circuit. In one embodiment, the tube has a wall thickness in the range of about 0.1 to 0.5 mm at least about 2000 holes with a diameter in the range of about 20 to 30 microns.