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Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-102

§509B Section to Enforce Human Rights Laws

Title 28 › PART II — DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE › CHAPTER 31 — THE ATTORNEY GENERAL › § 509B

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 90 days after the Human Rights Enforcement Act of 2009 became law, the Attorney General must create a unit inside the Justice Department’s Criminal Division to go after people suspected of serious human rights crimes. That unit can bring legal cases and work with the U.S. Attorney in the area where the case applies. The Attorney General should talk with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State when needed. When deciding what to do, the unit must consider whether the United States or another country is able and willing to prosecute. “Serious human rights crimes” covers things like genocide, torture, war crimes, and using or recruiting child soldiers (18 U.S.C. sections 1091, 2340, 2340A, 2441, and 2442).

Full Legal Text

Title 28, §509B

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the Human Rights Enforcement Act of 2009, the Attorney General shall establish a section within the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice with responsibility for the enforcement of laws against suspected participants in serious human rights offenses.
(b)The section established under subsection (a) is authorized to—
(1)take appropriate legal action against individuals suspected of participating in serious human rights offenses; and
(2)coordinate any such legal action with the United States Attorney for the relevant jurisdiction.
(c)The Attorney General shall, as appropriate, consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State.
(d)In determining the appropriate legal action to take against individuals who are suspected of committing serious human rights offenses under Federal law, the section shall take into consideration the availability of criminal prosecution under the laws of the United States for such offenses or in a foreign jurisdiction that is prepared to undertake a prosecution for the conduct that forms the basis for such offenses.
(e)The term “serious human rights offenses” includes violations of Federal criminal laws relating to genocide, torture, war crimes, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers under section 1091, 2340, 2340A, 2441, and 2442 of title 18, United States Code.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of the enactment of the Human Rights

Enforcement

Act of 2009, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 111–122, which was approved Dec. 22, 2009.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

28 U.S.C. § 509B

Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102