Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP)

Promoting justice by prosecuting human rights violators and other international criminals

The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) primarily investigates and prosecutes cases against human rights violators and other international criminals. HRSP investigates and prosecutes human rights violators for genocide, torture, war crimes, recruitment or use of child soldiers, female genital mutilation, international antiquities trafficking, and for immigration and naturalization fraud arising out of efforts to hide their involvement in such crimes. HRSP also prosecutes perpetrators of other international violent crimes, particularly those involving the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) or occurring within the Special Maritime & Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States (SMTJ). Finally, HRSP prosecutes members of international criminal networks who seek to evade our immigration laws, such as by smuggling persons into the United States. In addition to its prosecutorial activities, HRSP is actively engaged in policy work, both domestically and internationally.

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HRSP News

U.S. National Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for the Attempted Murder of U.S. Consulate Official in Mexico

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

A U.S. national and former medical student was sentenced to 264 months in prison for the 2017 shooting of a U.S. diplomat stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Three Colombian Nationals Plead Guilty to Participating in Human Smuggling Event that Resulted in the Rape and Murder of Cuban Nationals

Friday, October 26, 2018

Three Colombian nationals have pleaded guilty to a four-count federal indictment in the Southern District of Florida stemming from their roles in a scheme to smuggle illegal aliens from Colombia into the United States, which resulted in the rape of one and the death of two Cuban nationals.

Dominican National Sentenced to Prison for his Involvement in National Conspiracy to Sell Identity Documents to Illegal Aliens

Friday, September 28, 2018

A Dominican national was sentenced to prison today for his role in a scheme to sell the identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and corresponding identity documents to individuals illegally residing in the United States.