SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- In July, DIILS conducted a seminar on Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) attended by 20 military and civilian representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Immigration Department.  Participants from the Dominican Ministry of Defense included uniformed members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, the joint border security branch (CESFRONT), and the Defense Graduate School of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.  

The DIILS interagency team used real-world scenarios and case studies to facilitate lively, interactive discussions during the week-long seminar. Discussions focused on the foundational principles of international law and the legal aspects of land and maritime border security operations, including observing human rights, immigration enforcement at sea and along land borders, rules for the use of force in law enforcement, and the use of the military in domestic law enforcement operations.  Representatives from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Border Patrol augmented the DIILS team and provided critical expertise on immigration and border security matters.