Tysen Duva

“We are going to chase these cases no matter where they originate from or where we find them.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva warned that the Justice Department will pursue smuggling cases regardless of where they originate.

“You do it one case at a time,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva described the Justice Department's goal of total elimination of cartels as achievable one case at a time.

“People think, ‘Well, what is that? What did it do?’”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva discussed public questions about the impact of funding approved through Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill.

“You pay money to come to the United States, and then when you get here, the co-conspirators or those involved in the criminal enterprise will say, ‘But now you owe more, and you’re going to work this off in the sex trade,’”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva warned that migrants who reach the United States can be trapped by mounting debts and pushed into sex trafficking.

“We’re super thankful to President Trump,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva praised President Donald Trump and his administration for focusing on the initiative targeting smuggling organizations.

“The crime sort of changes along the way. The travelers are the ones victimized, and this comes at a significant cost in terms of public safety.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said the crime changes along the smuggling route, victimizing travelers and costing public safety.

“Anybody who’s involved with a cartel or transnational smuggling in this regard, it is about money. It’s about preying on people’s misfortune.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said cartels and transnational smuggling organizations are driven by money and prey on vulnerable migrants.

“You really try to combat that one case at a time.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said the Justice Department combats smugglers' belief that they won't be caught one case at a time.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of anybody who survives that one after several months and a year,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said the vanished boat remains a haunting illustration of the dangers migrants face.

“It’s super tragic, and hopefully people realize when they hear about this case just how dangerous it is and how important it is that you target these smuggling groups.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said he hopes people realize from this case how dangerous smuggling routes are and how important it is to target smuggling groups.

“That’s the first leg. They didn’t even finish the first leg here and get to Nicaragua and then try to come north by land,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva noted the vanished migrants had not even completed the first leg of their journey from San Andrés Island to Nicaragua.

“We’re feeling the effects of that. We’re able to put skilled prosecutors in these different sections to attack these administration priorities.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said the Criminal Division was able to hire additional prosecutors and place experienced attorneys in priority sections due to new funding.

“We are focusing on these cases at any border that we have,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said the task force is targeting criminal networks at the southern border, maritime routes near Florida, and the northern border with Canada.

“It shouldn’t be partisan,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said the mission against transnational criminal networks should transcend partisan fights.

“These individuals are, of course, missing and presumed dead, and it appears that there were no survivors.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva stated that the individuals aboard the vanished boat are missing and presumed dead with no survivors.

“These 40 individuals and the two boat captains, once they set out from San Andrés Island to Nicaragua, were never heard from again,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva described the disappearance of 40 migrants and two boat captains who set out from San Andrés Island to Nicaragua and were never heard from again.

“We’re deeply thankful to the White House for that. We’re thankful to Congress for that, and we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva expressed gratitude to the White House and Congress for supporting the Justice Department's efforts against smugglers and cartels.

“Our reach is substantial,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva issued a blunt warning to smugglers operating beyond America's borders.

“They just think, ‘Well, they catch other people, but they’re not going to get me,’”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said criminals behind smuggling operations often believe distance will protect them from prosecution.

“It’s a really long journey, and it’s full of really bad things that can happen.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva described the long and dangerous journey migrants face traveling toward the United States.

“Cross-border smuggling cases often times just morph right into human trafficking cases,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said cross-border smuggling cases frequently turn into human trafficking cases.

“We are focused on doing the very best cases that we can for the American people. That’s what we get up every day and think about.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said the Justice Department is focused on bringing the best cases for the American people.

“This was a particularly sad and disturbing situation,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva was commenting on a boat carrying approximately 40 migrants and two captains that vanished after departing Colombia's San Andrés Island for Nicaragua.

“It’s all about money,”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said transnational smuggling organizations are motivated by money and prey on people's misfortune.

“It should be obvious that anybody who’s in the White House, anybody who is in Congress, should be lauding these cases and the work that’s being done by Criminal Division entities like Joint Task Force Alpha.”

Tysen Duva · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Duva said anyone in the White House or Congress should support the work of Joint Task Force Alpha.