Mexican National Monica Hernandez-Palma Extradited to the United States for Involvement in an International Human Smuggling Operation
(STL.News) Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between US and Mexican law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of a human smuggler who allegedly participated in an international human smuggling conspiracy.
Monica Hernandez-Palma, also known as Moni, 32, a Mexican national, was arrested in Mexico pursuant to a US request for her extradition and surrendered by Mexico to US authorities to face charges previously filed in the Western District of Texas. Monica Hernandez-Palma made her initial appearance on January 17, 2025, in the Western District of Texas, where an indictment against her was unsealed.
According to the indictment, beginning in November 2020 and continuing through September 2023, Monica Hernandez-Palma conspired with others to bring and attempt to bring migrants to the United States illegally for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
Monica Hernandez-Palma is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring a migrant to the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry and three counts of bringing a migrant to the United States without authorization and for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain. If convicted, Monica Hernandez-Palma faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; US Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge Craig S. Larrabee of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio made the announcement.
The Office of the Assistant Special Agent in Charge HSI Del Rio investigated this case, with assistance from the US Border Patrol Del Rio Sector, HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center.
Trial Attorney Jenna Reed of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant US Attorney Holly Pavlinski for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Mexico. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting and extraditing Monica Hernandez-Palma.
The investigation and prosecution of Monica Hernandez-Palma is being coordinated through the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA was created in June 2021 by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, in partnership with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, to strengthen the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal to disrupt and dismantle human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse, or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, and other US law enforcement agencies, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations that have the most impact on the United States; and coordinated significant human smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in US Attorneys’ Offices across the country. In June, the init ative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border US Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona, and Southern District of California. Dedicated support f r the program is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by HRSP and supported by the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; OIA; and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
This investigation is also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program foc ses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or raise grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated i vestigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinate and receives assistance from other US government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
SOURCE: US Department of Justice
