U.S. Department
of Justice
Western Hemisphere Region
OPDAT’s Western Hemisphere Programs (WHP) provide 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 9 RLAs, two International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Advisors (ICHIPs) positions 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 technical assistance 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 technical assistance to foreign counterparts on human smuggling / trafficking cases and also supports DOJ’s Anti-Corruption Task Force on its efforts in the Northern Triangle.
Mexico: OPDAT’s Mexico program is significant in its strategic importance. Since its inception in 2017, the Mexico program provides technical assistance to counterparts in the areas of transnational organized crimes focusing on combatting narcotics and synthetic drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, illegal migration and trafficking in persons. The program partners with the Judiciary to create judicial bench books, which provide step-by-step guidance for judges and magistrates at the federal and state level to carry out criminal hearings effectively and efficiently within the accusatory system. The Mexican judiciary’s widespread adoption of the bench books is showing demonstrable institutional impact in improving efficiency of court processes.
Mexico is a source, transit point, and destination for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. OPDAT supports Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) efforts in Mexico by deploying a RLA to provide technical assistance. This program will end in June 2025.
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 accomplishment was the implementation of a new criminal procedure code enacted in 2005 and supporting all parties to work under the new adversarial criminal justice system. Other technical assistance included the establishment of victim assistance centers, an extensive witness protection and court security program; and a specialized national unit for organized crime. OPDAT spearheaded the creation of specialized working groups, in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), to provide 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 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 ability 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 technical assistance for prosecutors to combat money laundering.
El Salvador: OPDAT's El Salvador program was established in 2011 with the goal to provide technical assistance in 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 provide technical assistance on efficiently managing oral hearings, developing a bench book for judicial personnel, and implementing security sector development standards and compliance measures. OPDAT has provided technical 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 combatting money laundering and corruption efforts. OPDAT also provides technical assistance 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.
Honduras: The OPDAT Honduras program deployed its first RLA in 2013 focused on security sector actors combating transnational and domestic crimes such as organized crime, including corruption, gang crime, narcotrafficking, illegal migration and money laundering. The program established a Specialized Technical Advisory Group (GATE, acronym in Spanish) which is an OPDAT led anti-corruption task force and provides technical assistance to prosecutors and investigators. GATE has yielded several high-level convictions against former government officials for corruption charges. OPDAT provides technical assistance to Honduran law enforcement and prosecutors and is also able to collaborate with JTFA to combat the smuggling of migrants into the United States. OPDAT Honduras coordinates with our offices in the region to combat this crime. OPDAT’s technical assistance has resulted in increased Honduran operations to combat illegal migration.
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 identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and disrupting terrorism, terrorist financing, money laundering, and the predicate crimes which produce illicit funds. These efforts include 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.
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 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 technical assistance related to the arrest and extradition of a suspected terrorist and known money launderer to the U.S. and engaged on the Paraguayan companion case against the same man’s contraband smuggling network in the Tri-Border Area. Further, 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 2020-23, OPDAT deployed an ILA and an RLA to support counterterrorism efforts in Brazil. The ILA program focused on providing technical assistance and working 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 HSI, which is developing a task force model in the Guarulhos Airport 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.
Judicial Studies Institute: The Judicial Studies Institute (JSI) was inaugurated in Puerto Rico in April 2012 as a result of the efforts of the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and a unique collaboration between the DOJ and DOS, members of the U.S. and Puerto Rico judiciaries, and the University of Puerto Rico and Interamerican University law schools. Its mission is to assist judges from Latin American countries in making the transition to an adversarial criminal justice system. JSI leverages Puerto Rico’s use of the adversarial system, coupled with a shared language and culture, to offer Latin American judges a full immersion in the adversarial system through academic classes, courtroom visits and practical exercises. JSI has a successive curriculum consisting of Module I, Module II, and Special Courses. Since 2012, JSI has provided technical assistance to 1,236 judges in the Module I course (introductory), 861 judges in the Module II course (intermediate), 713 judges in the advanced courses (Opinion Writing, Digital Evidence, Asset Forfeiture, Courtroom Management, and Trafficking in Persons/Human Smuggling), and 1,340 judges in special virtual courses and roundtables.
Recent Accomplishments
Two Honduran Men Sentenced to Prison for their Roles in International Human Smuggling Conspiracy (5/8/25)