Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and the Boston Police Department and Police Commissioner over Boston’s sanctuary city laws that interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of its immigration laws.

“The City of Boston and its Mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America – they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.”

Not only are Boston’s sanctuary city policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Boston’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets.

On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations. On Aug. 5, Attorney General Bondi published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, which included the City of Boston, and vowed to bring litigation to end these policies nationwide. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal sanctuary city policies across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Today, the Department of Justice announced recent enforcement actions by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) to combat human smuggling and trafficking networks that undermine U.S. national security and public safety. In addition to these actions, the Department also announced the expansion of JTFA to districts along our northern and maritime borders to further dismantle cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) operating in those regions.

“This Department of Justice is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”

“Joint Task Force Alpha has shown the power of bringing together prosecutors, agents, and international partners to target and dismantle some of the most dangerous criminal networks,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “By elevating and expanding JTFA, we are extending that reach across both our northern and southern borders and sending a clear message to cartels and transnational criminal organizations: the Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who endanger human life through smuggling and trafficking activities, and we will not stop until these groups are eliminated.”

Today in the Middle District of Florida, Department officials highlighted major developments in recent days in four significant JTFA prosecutions: first, a superseding indictment in the Middle District of Florida charging defendants allegedly involved in a large alien smuggling ring; second, an indictment in the District of Vermont charging an alleged human smuggler who operated at the northern border; third, the extradition from Guatemala to the Southern District of Texas of three defendants allegedly involved in a human smuggling mass-casualty event and lastly, on Aug. 30, two individuals were arrested in El Paso and two Mexican nationals were charged for their roles in a scheme to smuggle children from Mexico into the United States, sometimes using candy laced with THC to sedate them during smuggling events.

Expanding Joint Task Force Alpha

JTFA’s mission will expand to regions along the country’s Northern border, including U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of New York and District of Vermont, as well as additional resources along the southern border with prosecutors from the Southern District of Florida. These offices will join forces with the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas, that already have prosecutors and resources dedicated to JTFA efforts. These offices and personnel are partnered with a whole-of-Department network of expert prosecutors and other support personnel from numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and elsewhere, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT); the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; the Office of Enforcement Operations; the Office of International Affairs; and other sections within the Criminal Division, National Security Division, and Civil Division.

JTFA will also deepen its partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, adding new partnerships with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to its existing partnership with the Department of Homeland Security and its components.

Given JTFA’s experience and expertise in handling large-scale smuggling cases, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices will now consult with JTFA on all significant human smuggling and trafficking matters to ensure all available Department resources are utilized for the highest priority cases. This will include prosecutions of those who engage in the abuse and exploitation of unaccompanied alien children, who are brought across the border without a parent or guardian and often fall prey to smuggling, sex trafficking, sexual assault, and forced labor.

Joint Task Force Alpha Successes

JTFA’s hallmark achievement in 2025 has been the announcement of the first material support of terrorism charges brought against a CJNG cartel member. On May 16, the Justice Department announced the unsealing of an indictment in the Western District of Texas charging Mexican national Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez with conspiracy to provide and attempting to provide grenades to CJNG, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Additionally, Navarro-Sanchez is charged with conspiracy to smuggle and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and trafficking in firearms, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Two other Mexican nationals were also charged with offenses involving alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, and drug trafficking.

Additionally, JTFA has achieved substantial sentences this year, in part due to its focus on prosecuting the most complex smuggling cases involving grave, egregious misconduct. In June 2025, in a JTFA-supported case out of the Western District of Texas, prosecutors obtained sentences of life in prison and 83 years in prison, respectively, for two defendants responsible for a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in a 2022 mass casualty in San Antonio, Texas where 47 adults and six children died.

Since its founding, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 410 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant prison sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Twelve people have been charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in an international conspiracy involving alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering schemes that brought thousands of aliens illegally into the United States for profit.

According to court documents, the defendants operated a prolific alien smuggling operation (ASO) that facilitated the unlawful entry of Cuban nationals into the United States by preparing visa applications, laundering millions of dollars in payment, and exploiting the immigration process. 

“This DOJ is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”

“This indictment exposes a criminal organization that smuggled people into the United States on a massive scale, and then fraudulently secured immigration benefits for them,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Posing as a legitimate immigration service, the defendants used social media promotions and false legal filings to attract new clients and perpetuate their fraud. The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will continue to dismantle these schemes, protect vulnerable people from exploitation, and safeguard the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.”

“The defendants in this case conspired with others to deliberately violate our nation’s immigration laws while personally seeking to enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Because of the interagency coordination and diligence of our dedicated law enforcement agencies, their crimes have been thwarted. We will continue working with our partners to protect our national borders.”

“This superseding indictment exposes the depth of a multi-year conspiracy of alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering that preyed on vulnerable individuals and weakened public trust in the immigration system,” said Acting Director Todd M. Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “This highlights the critical role ICE has in dismantling these criminal networks, combating immigration fraud, and ensuring criminals who abuse our systems are held accountable. We are absolute in our resolve to protect the integrity of our immigration system and safeguard our national security.

“It is because of the unfettered Department of Justice support we charge criminals with every available statute to provide consequences to those that erode the moral fabric of our society,” said Chief Jeffrey J. Dinise of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Miami Sector. “The message is clear, the United States is closed to illegal immigration and terrorist organizations, and those that make an attempt, will be met with fierce consequences. We are committed to protecting our Florida communities and safeguarding our nation.”

“Through diligent investigation, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and our partners exposed a multi-national, multi-year, multi-million dollar criminal conspiracy operated by aliens that attempted to undermine our immigration system and flood our country with illegal aliens — none of whom had any intention of following our laws,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. “This criminal organization operated a front for fake asylum claims, churning out frivolous applications around the country. To criminals who seek to exploit our immigration system: we will find you, shut down your schemes, and you will face justice.”

The superseding indictment charges:

• Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 27, of Hialeah, FL (unlawfully residing in the United States);
• Yuniel Lima-Santos, 30, of Tampa, FL;
• Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 26, unlawfully residing in Lebanon, TN;
• Marianny Lucia Lopez-Torres, 25, residing in Cuba, (formerly Hialeah, FL);
• Frandy Aragon-Diaz, 33, of Cuba, (formerly unlawfully residing in Tampa, FL);
• Erik Ventura-Castro, 23, residing in Hialeah, FL;
• Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 30, of Tampa, FL;
• Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 30, residing in Katy, TX ;
• Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 28, unlawfully residing in Hialeah, FL;
• Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 31, of Tampa, FL;
• Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 31, of Tampa, FL; and
• Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 40, of Tampa, FL.

According to the superseding indictment:

• All defendants except Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra are charged with conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain.
• Yuniel Lima-Santos and Frandy Aragon-Diaz are also charged with alien smuggling for financial gain.
• Yuniel Lima-Santos, Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, Frandy Aragon-Diaz, Layra Libertad Treto Santos, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuerga are charged with conspiracy to commit asylum fraud.
• Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, Yuniel Lima-Santos, Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, Frandy Aragon-Diaz, Erik Ventura-Castro, Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, and Layra Libertad Treto Santos are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

From January 2021 through June 2025, the defendants promoted bogus visa services online, claiming Cuban nationals could secure U.S. entry through false claims of European citizenship. They filed hundreds of fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, using fake addresses and fabricated documents.

The ASO promoted its services on social media accounts and encrypted messaging platforms, including a WhatsApp group titled, “TRÁMITE DE ESTA Y VISA DE TURISMO A USA PARA CIUDADANOS ESPAÑOLES” (Processing of ESTA and tourist Visas to the USA for Spanish citizens). One promotional video advertised the scheme by showing stacks of passports, airline tickets, and visa approvals. 

What began as a small operation grew into a commercial enterprise. The defendants charged clients between $1,500 and $40,000, sometimes even chartering private planes to move groups of aliens. Records show they spent over $2.5 million on flights alone and funneled more than $7 million through payment apps such as Zelle. Based on a financial analysis conducted of 27 known accounts associated with the defendants and their co-conspirators, the alien smuggling organization took in over $18 million during the course of the conspiracy.

The ASO also smuggled unaccompanied minors. In one case, a teenage girl was told to pose as the lifelong friend of an unrelated adult man when crossing the border.

The defendants operated a sham immigration business, ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC, which promised asylum filings, work permits, and residency applications. In reality, the company churned out boilerplate asylum claims without clients’ knowledge or consent and even blocked them from accessing their own USCIS online accounts.

ASESORIA marketed itself on Instagram with flashy ads for immigration services while simultaneously posting videos of aliens being smuggled into the country. 

The investigation and superseding indictment were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along southern and northern borders. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 410 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and USCIS’s’ Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.

Trial Attorney Jenna Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Note: You can read the Indictment here

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Note: View indictment here.

A Michigan woman has been indicted for her role in an international alien smuggling conspiracy which brought aliens, including children, from Central America into the United States across the northern border.

“This DOJ is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”

“The defendant is charged with conspiring to smuggle families, including young children, across our northern border for profit,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Smuggling organizations threaten the security of our borders and undermines public safety. The Criminal Division is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt smuggling networks wherever they operate and bring their members to justice.”

“Those who promote and profit from smuggling migrants into the country take advantage of vulnerable individuals without regard for the safety of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher for the District of Vermont. “The prosecution of Ms. Lozano should send a message that those who commit these offenses will be investigated and held responsible, not only for their own criminal acts but also for facilitating illegal border crossings by others. Thank you to our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their collaborative investigative work to keep our communities and country safe.”

“Human smuggling is a ruthless criminal enterprise that exploits vulnerable individuals for profit without regard for their life and safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of HSI New England. “HSI remains steadfast in combating alien smuggling organizations and upholding the integrity of our borders.”

“I commend the unwavering dedication and vigilance of our agents in combating the dangers posed by smuggling operations along our northern border,” said Chief Robert N. Garcia of U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector. “Smuggling, whether it involves people, contraband, or other illicit activities, poses a significant threat to public safety and national security. The alleged actions of Norma Linda Lozano underscore the risks associated with these criminal enterprises and the critical need for robust enforcement efforts. I would also like to extend my appreciation to all of our partners in the investigation and indictment of Lozano. Their efforts are vital to ensuring that those who engage in these dangerous and illegal activities are held accountable.”

A federal grand jury charged Norma Linda Lozano, also known as Norma Linda Quintanilla Lozano, 53, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, with one count of conspiracy to smuggle aliens and six counts of bringing aliens to the United States for profit.

According to the indictment, from February through November 2024, Lozano participated in an alien smuggling organization (ASO) that brought and attempted to bring aliens from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador, including children, illegally into the United States from Canada. The ASO instructed the aliens to cross the border on foot, provided GPS coordinates and a description of Lozano’s vehicle, and coordinated their pick-up once inside the United States.

Lozano allegedly drove from Michigan to Vermont to meet the aliens at prearranged locations near the border. She then transported the aliens further into the United States, delivering them to residences, businesses, or airports. The aliens or their family members allegedly paid Lozano for smuggling services.

In one smuggling event, Lozano allegedly transported three aliens from Guatemala and El Salvador in her car, with a five-year-old girl. The child rode in the front passenger seat, and Lozano falsely claimed the child was her granddaughter. In another smuggling event, she allegedly transported six adults along with an eight-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy. The girl was placed in the cargo area of the hatchback on top of luggage. 

The investigation and indictment are the first brought in the District of Vermont coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southern and northern borders. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 410 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

HSI Burlington and U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.

Trial Attorney Jenna Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra for the District of Vermont are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

The Justice Department announced today that three Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the Dec. 9, 2021 mass casualty event in Chiapas, Mexico, have been extradited from Guatemala to the United States to face prosecution. The crash of a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens – many of them Guatemalan – killed more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more.

Yesterday’s extraditions are the result of sustained coordination between the Justice Department and Guatemalan authorities following an international enforcement operation carried out on Dec. 9, 2024, the third anniversary of the tragedy. The extraditions mark yet another significant step in the Justice Department’s efforts to bring those responsible to justice.

“This DOJ is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”

“Five Guatemalan smugglers charged in the Chiapas mass casualty incident are now in U.S. custody,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the ability of Joint Task Force Alpha and its domestic and international law enforcement partners to dismantle the most lethal human smuggling networks. Human smuggling organizations profit by exploiting the vulnerable, putting lives at grave risk for financial gain.  Even those smugglers who try to hide beyond the reach of the U.S. will be brought to justice for the death and suffering they have caused.”

“Human smugglers do not care if the people they transport live or die,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas. “They do not care if unaccompanied children have food, water, or even air to breathe. They respect neither the law nor basic principles of decency. They care for only one thing — the blood money they make from the suffering of others. But these extraditions show that the United States will never tire in pursuing them. There is no border, no refuge that can shield these criminals from justice.”

Tomas Quino Canil, 37; Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino also known as Osvaldo ZQ, 25; and Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, 43, were arrested in Boquerón, Guatemala on Dec. 9, 2024, pursuant to U.S. extradition requests, and were surrendered to U.S. authorities on Sept. 3, 2025. A fourth Guatemalan national, Daniel Zavala Ramos also known as “Dany ZR,” 41, was arrested on Aug. 7, 2025 in Boquerón and is pending extradition.

Two additional defendants were also arrested during the coordinated operation. Alberto Marcario Chitic also known as Alberto De Jesus, 32, was also arrested in Boquerón on Dec. 9, 2024, and extradited to the United States in May 2025. Jorge Agapito Ventura also known as Jorge Ventura, George Ventura, and El Raitero, 33, was arrested at his residence in Cleveland, Texas.

All six defendants are each charged in the Southern District of Texas with conspiracy to bring undocumented aliens to the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injury, and resulting in death. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

According to court documents, from Oct. 2021 to Feb. 2023, the defendants conspired with other smugglers to transport undocumented aliens from Guatemala though Mexico to the United States. They allegedly recruited Guatemalan aliens, collected payment, and arranged for the aliens to travel by foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor-trailers. In some instances, including the smuggling of unaccompanied minors, the defendants provided scripts and instructions on what to say if apprehended. Some of the aliens recruited by the defendants died or suffered serious bodily injury as result of the Dec. 9, 2021, crash.

HSI’s Counter Proliferation Investigations Group in Washington D.C. investigated the case in partnership with HSI Guatemala and HSI Mexico. Valuable assistance was provided by HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit; HSI Houston; HSI Laredo; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division; and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of the defendants. Guatemalan prosecutors and Mexican prosecutors from the Republic of Mexico’s Federal Prosecutions Office also known as Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation.

Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Lou Castillo and Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall.

The indictment of these defendants is the result of the coordinated efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Alpha. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA is currently comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along southern and northern borders. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 410 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched an investigation into the City of Rainsville, Alabama, to determine whether the City violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), and the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by denying a faith-based organization’s application to operate an addiction-recovery facility in the City.

The Department opened this investigation after receiving a complaint alleging that the City denied a Christian recovery organization the ability to establish a Christian discipleship program, motivated by a desire to keep away “drug addicts.” The program was intended to rehabilitate men with drug and alcohol dependency, and other life-controlling problems.

“The ADA affords every individual, including those on the path to recovery, the dignity and opportunity to fully participate in society,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division stands guard to protect not only the rights of Americans with disabilities, but also the rights of religious institutions to minister to those recovering from substance abuse.”

The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability by public entities. People in recovery from substance use disorders who are not currently engaging in illegal drug use are protected by the ADA. The ADA prohibits public entities from discriminating against people with disabilities on that basis. The FHA further prohibits such discrimination by municipalities in making housing unavailable to people with disabilities.

RLUIPA is a federal law that guards religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s work can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.

If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination, please file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division online at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/, or by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (1-833-610-1264 (TTY)). For more information on the ADA and the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.ada.gov or www.justice.gov/crt.

And individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.