Original Date Announced

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo, "General Policy Regarding Charging, Plea Negotiations, and Sentencing," that among other things elevates Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) to the Office of the Attorney General. Announced in 2021 as a partnership between DOJ and DHS, JTFA enhances enforcement efforts against human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, and Panama. JTFA consists of prosecutors from various U.S. Attorney’s Offices and receives support from Criminal Division departments like the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.

Trump 2.0 [ID #2000]. See this entry for general information about Attorney General Bondi's memo.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.09.04 DOJ - DOJ Announces Significant Enforcement and Expansion Efforts to Dismantle Transnational Human Smuggling and Trafficking Networks

DOJ announced recent enforcement actions by JTFA to combat human smuggling and trafficking networks, as well as JTFA's expansion to districts along the northern and maritime borders to address cross-border organized crime. The announcement highlighted several JTFA-inspired indictments in federal district court and JTFA's new partnerships with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It further states that "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."

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.09.24 DOJ - Expansion of Joint Task Force Alpha and Prioritizing the Prosecution of UAC Offenses

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memo, "Expansion of Joint Task Force Alpha and Prioritizing the Prosecution of UAC Offenses," to expand JTFA. The memo describes JTFA’s “enhanced and elevated mission, including to serve as the focal point for significant smuggling matters.” It states that JTFA will: consist of federal prosecutors from eight U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and receive additional prosecutorial resources from the Criminal and Civil Rights Divisions; “expand its partnerships with law enforcement agencies”; and “work closely with foreign partners.” The memo also directs all DOJ prosecutors, including JTFA, to dedicate resources to prosecuting priority crimes relating to the “fraudulent sponsorship of Unaccompanied Alien Children.”

JTFA's efforts have resulted in indictments like one noncitizen's for "fraud related to the submission of an application to sponsor an unaccompanied alien child" in the Middle District of Louisiana.