U.S. Department
of Justice
Western Hemisphere Region
OPDAT’s Western Hemisphere Programs (WHP) team provides capacity building and technical assistance to foreign prosecutors, judges, and investigators throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, most often through the deployment of experienced Resident Legal Advisors (RLAs). Currently, there are 3 RLAs in the region. OPDAT’s WHP programs - funded by the U.S. Department of State - are focused on a variety of subject matters, but the work in the region places a large emphasis on helping countries transition to the accusatory system and providing case-based mentoring in relation to complex investigations involving transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), money laundering corruption, drug trafficking, illegal migrant smuggling/trafficking, and gang crimes. OPDAT supports DOJ’s Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) by providing case-based mentoring to counterparts on human smuggling/trafficking cases and also supports DOJ’s Anti-Corruption Task Force on its efforts in the Northern Triangle.
WHP Programs
Colombia: The Colombia program was initiated in 2001 as a U.S. law enforcement umbrella assistance program under Plan Colombia and was implemented jointly by OPDAT, ICITAP, and the U.S. Marshals Service. OPDAT’s signature project was the implementation of a new criminal procedure code enacted in 2005 and building the capacity of all parties to work under the new adversarial criminal justice system. Other programs included the establishment of victim assistance centers, an extensive witness protection and court security program; and developing and mentoring a specialized national unit for organized crime. OPDAT spearheaded the creation of specialized working groups, in conjunction with the AGO, to provide case-based mentoring and specialized technical assistance to prosecutors who investigate and prosecute key transnational organized crime cases such as, drug trafficking, illegal migrant smuggling, corruption, and money laundering.
OPDAT expanded its program into selected rural areas significantly affected by criminal activity threatening their progress and citizen security. OPDAT has created a Rural Security Sector Development Working Group which has yielded results, including arrests and convictions of members of various subgroups of Clan del Golfo. The working group has increased the capacity of local, regional, and national prosecutors to collaborate effectively in disrupting rural drug trafficking corridors, criminal organizations, and other criminal activity (i.e. homicides, corruption, and illegal migrant smuggling) in targeted municipalities and surrounding areas. Additionally, OPDAT has developed bench books and guides which have been implemented by the Colombian judiciary and prosecutors to streamline hearings and processes for a more efficient judicial system. These guides are being shared and modified by countries within the region. Finally, OPDAT and the AGO are collaborating on developing the capacity of prosecutors to combat money laundering.
El Salvador: OPDAT's El Salvador program was established in 2011 with the goal to provide technical assistance and case-based mentorship in relation to combatting transnational and domestic organized crime, gang crime, money laundering, asset forfeiture, illegal migrant smuggling/trafficking, and anti-corruption efforts. OPDAT also works with the judiciary to build capacity to efficiently manage oral hearings, develop a bench book for judicial personnel, and implement security sector development standards and compliance measures. OPDAT has provided case mentoring and assistance to El Salvador’s specialized illegal migrant smuggling units in support of JTFA.
Guatemala: OPDAT deployed its first RLA in 2016. Our work focuses on providing technical assistance and case mentoring in relation to money laundering, and anti-corruption efforts. OPDAT also provides technical assistance and mentorship to combat illegal migrant smuggling. OPDAT coordinates with JTFA’s regional investigative efforts with the Northern Triangle, Mexico, and the United States. As a result of OPDAT sponsoring a regional illegal migration conference for investigators and prosecutors, a working group was created to combat TCOs engaged in this crime. The event brought together more than 60 human smuggling experts from eight countries. OPDAT is in the process of recruiting an RLA for Guatemala.
Argentina Counterterrorism Program: OPDAT deployed a CT-funded RLA to Argentina in 2017 focused on supporting counterterrorism efforts in the Tri-Border Area. The program has since transitioned to focus primarily on Argentina and seeks to strengthen the capacity of Argentina to identify, investigate, prosecute, and disrupt terrorism, terrorist financing, money laundering, and the predicate crimes which produce illicit funds. The RLA focused on updating Argentina’s regulatory framework; provided case-based mentoring to judges, prosecutors and police; provided skills-based technical assistance to judges, prosecutors, and police; and worked with relevant authorities to better cooperate and share information with counterparts. These efforts included working with relevant security sector actors in the Tri-Border Area (where Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil share borders) and with the United States in cases of terrorism, terrorist financing, money laundering and other complex crimes. With OPDAT’s technical assistance, in July 2024, Argentina designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, and in February 2025, the Argentine government designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) which aligned with the U.S.’s earlier designation of the same group as an FTO. Not too long after the FTO designation, on May 29, 2025, Argentine prosecutors that received technical assistance from OPDAT participated in a takedown of 12 Tren de Aragua members which further supported Operation Take Back America and Combatting TCOs.
Paraguay Counterterrorism Program: OPDAT’s AML-CT work in Paraguay began in 2015 with an Intermittent Legal Advisor (ILA). In September 2018, the program expanded and OPDAT deployed its first RLA to support counter-terrorism efforts in Paraguay and the Tri-Border Area (TBA). The RLA coordinates and provides technical assistance to counter terrorist financing and provides case-based mentoring to build capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorist and terrorist financing cases and seize assets from these crimes. In August 2019, the Government of Paraguay, with the support of DOJ/OPDAT, designated Hamas, Hizballah, ISIS and Al Q’aida as International Terrorist Organizations. OPDAT provided extensive mentoring related to the arrest and extradition of a suspected terrorist and known money launderer to the U.S. and engaged on a Paraguayan companion case against the same man’s contraband smuggling network in the Tri-Border Area. Furthermore, OPDAT advised on the Paraguayan side of other extradition cases to the United States, including those of a Mexican narco-pilot and a fugitive arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Brazil Counterterrorism Program: From 2020-2023, OPDAT deployed an ILA and an RLA to support counterterrorism efforts in Brazil. The ILA program focused on providing technical assistance, worked with Brazilian prosecutors and investigators to combat terrorist financing, and assisted Brazil in developing designations of terrorist groups. In 2022, the Brazil program expanded and an RLA was deployed to focus on terrorism issues. In 2023, the program shifted to a collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Brasilia, who is developing a task force model in the Guarulhos Airport to build capacity to combat illegal migration of Known or Suspected Terrorists and/or Special Interest Migrants traveling into or out of Brazil with the intent to eventually enter the United States.
Recent Accomplishments
Two Honduran Men Sentenced to Prison for their Roles in International Human Smuggling Conspiracy (5/8/25)