Domestic Security Section

The Domestic Security Section (DSS) was a component of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division that was focused on the prosecution of significant alien smuggling organizations,^[1] complex immigration frauds, certain violent crime and firearms offenses, crimes committed under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, and serious human rights violations such as war crimes, genocide,^[2] and torture. DSS was the primary DOJ office responsible for pursuing justice against perpetrators of human rights violations.^[3]

In 2009, the section was merged with the Office of Special Investigations to form a new unit of the Criminal Division: the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.

Former section chiefs

The Domestic Security Section, before reorganization, was headed by a section chief, who in turn reported to the assistant attorney general of the Criminal Division through a deputy assistant attorney general.

A former acting chief of the section, John T. Morton, was appointed in mid-2009 by President Barack Obama as the Assistant Security of Homeland Security for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.^[4]

Notable cases

• United States v. Charles Taylor, Jr. (aka Chuckie Taylor, aka Charles McArthur Emmanuel, aka Roy Belfast) (son of Charles Taylor, former warlord of Liberia)^[5]
• United States v. Steven D. Green
• United States v. Theodore Stevens (Domestic Security Section was added after allegations of prosecutorial misconduct against original prosecution team)^[6]