A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in prison for her involvement in a massive international alien smuggling organization. “We take seriously organized human smugglers who seek to undermine the integrity and security of our borders and our immigration laws for their ill-gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Key details of the case
“Even criminal smugglers who live outside of our nation’s borders will face the justice of our courts when they violate our laws designed to keep our borders safe and secure.”. “Alien Smuggling Organizations do not care about your hopes and dreams; they care only about your money,” said U.S. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
Moreover, “This sentencing represents a major blow to a complex criminal organization that has been successfully dismantled thanks to the work of our AUSAs and law enforcement partners. My office is incredibly proud to work alongside Homeland Security Investigations and other Department of Homeland Security components to continue picking apart these alien smuggling organizations and hitting them where it hurts: in the pocketbook.”. According to court documents, from on or about Nov. 13, 2020.
Meanwhile, continuing to March 7, 2023, Monica Hernandez-Palma, 34, and others, were part of an international alien smuggling organization (ASO) that illegally brought thousands of aliens from Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Columbia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador into the United States from Mexico. The ASO operated stash houses in Monterrey, Mexico, and Piedras Negras, Mexico. Hernandez-Palma operated the stash house in Piedras Negras and coordinated with other members of the ASO to transport aliens to the stash house and then into the U.S. illegally.
Enforcement actions and official statements
In addition, hernandez-Palma worked with others to house aliens, after which the aliens would meet foot guides who led them across the U.S.-Mexico border by crossing the Rio Grande River. Hernandez-Palma worked with co-conspirator and San Antonio, Texas-based smuggler, Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga, who facilitated travel of the aliens from South America to the United States. Mejia-Zuniga directed operations, as well as paid armed “coyotes,” load drivers, and stash house operators. For complete details, refer to the official DOJ press release.
To facilitate their operation, the ASO operated stash houses in Monterrey, Mexico, and Piedras Negras, Mexico. According to court documents, Mejia-Zuniga admitted that the ASO smuggled between 2,500 to 3,000 aliens into the United States in just two years. Mejia-Zuniga stated that the organization charged between $6,500 to $12,000 per alien, totaling approximately $16 to $30 million in financial gain for the ASO.
Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga was sentenced to ten years in prison on July 9, 2025. Hernandez-Palma pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States and aiding and abetting bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain. HSI Del Rio led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. For related coverage, see U.s. department of justice announces compensation process for victims of airbit club fraud scheme — DOJ.
Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, and U.S. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Hernandez-Palma. Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions section, on detail from the Office of International Affairs.
Specifically, assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II, for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). For related coverage, see The fraud division launches west coast strike force to target health care fraud schemes across arizona, nevada, and northern california — DOJ.
A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador.
At the same time, honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs. The Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont.
JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers.
