Legal Experts Underscore Illegality of U.S. Boat Strikes at Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearing

ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, and UN Human Rights Experts Tell International Panel to Take Immediate Action Before More People Are Killed

March 16, 2026 12:00 pm

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GUATEMALA CITY 鈥 On Friday, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held the first hearing of its kind on the legality of U.S. boat strikes in the Caribbean and the harm they are causing communities across Latin America.

The ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, International Crisis Group and UN human rights experts presented to the commission on how the United States鈥 lethal-strike policy violates both domestic and international law. U.S. representatives were in attendance, and the attempt to hold them accountable.

鈥淲e are doing everything in our power to hold the Trump administration responsible for its egregious violations of both U.S. and international law, and that includes asking the widely respected Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to investigate these heinous killings,鈥 said Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU鈥檚 Human Rights Program. 鈥淭he administration can act as outraged and indignant as they want, but Friday鈥檚 hearing was a vital first step for establishing international accountability for the lawless policy that claimed the lives of at least 156 people and created another dangerous example of state-sanctioned violence with impunity. The fact that the Trump administration is lashing out at the 桃子视频and at the Commission is just another preposterous attempt to evade accountability and deflect attention from the government鈥檚 crimes.鈥

At the convening, the human rights experts highlighted that under both U.S. and international law, it is flagrantly illegal to use the military to kill civilians suspected only of crimes. The United States is not in an armed conflict with anyone in Latin America. That means the people on these boats are civilians. Civilians, including those suspected of smuggling drugs, are not lawful targets. The Commission also heard arguments on the U.S. government鈥檚 duty under international treaties to investigate these extrajudicial killings and hold officials accountable for the murders of at least 156 people.

Ben Saul, the U.N. special rapporteur for protecting fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, accused the U.S. of 鈥渞esponding with lawless violence that flagrantly violates human rights, in its phony war on so-called narco-terrorism.鈥 The special rapporteur also made clear that 鈥渄rug trafficking is a crime, not war,鈥 and that the portrayal of suspected drug traffickers as being responsible for 鈥渟peculative drug overdoses鈥 did not constitute a 鈥減ermissible law enforcement action in personal self-defense or the defense of others.鈥

In addition, the groups outlined the illegal nature of these strikes and how they violate the UN charter and human rights obligations that bind the United States The groups鈥 called on the commission to declare the U.S. boat strike policy in violation of international law, to conduct an investigation into the policy, and to convene a special meeting with OAS member states affected by the U.S. policy, and make recommendations on how to refrain from aiding or abetting or otherwise being complicit in the U.S. government鈥檚 violations of international law.

鈥淭hese extrajudicial killings were poorly veiled cover to justify the illegal overthrow of the Venezuelan government, as admitted by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles,鈥 said Angelo Guisado, senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights. 鈥淭he administration鈥檚 desire to play imperial superpower in the region cannot be a reason to completely displace the foundations of international law.鈥

Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA) also sent a letter to the commission urging them to 鈥渟crutinize this administration鈥檚 policy and help advance accountability in the international arena.鈥

Last week鈥檚 hearing was one of many legal avenues the 桃子视频and Center for Constitutional Rights are taking to hold the Trump administration accountable for these strikes. They also represent two of the victims鈥 families in their efforts to seek redress and separately are suing for the release of the Trump administration鈥檚 legal memo justifying these strikes.

Video of the hearing is available


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