An Argentine “FBI”: Milei authorizes arrests by decree without judicial process
Argentine President Javier Milei has signed a decree authorizing the country's federal police to carry out arrests and detentions without a court order. A measure that legal experts and the opposition consider unconstitutional.
On Tuesday, June 17, Argentine President Javier Milei and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich passed by decree—as usual—a reform that is shaking up the national political scene. This decree, 383/2025, concerns the police sector.
Entitled "Reform of the Statute of the Argentine Federal Police (PFA)", the text aims to "create a modern and specialized force" to more effectively combat "criminal organizations", reports the economic newspaper Ámbito . At the same time, according to the conservative daily La Nación , this reform also redefines the PFA's missions around "the prevention, detection and investigation of federal and complex crimes".
In detail, the new provisions of the decree authorize the federal police, without judicial approval, to “conduct searches as part of preventive operations,” to “identify and file individuals regularly involved in activities prohibited by law,” or to “arrest [and detain] any person” that the police deem “potentially dangerous.”
Furthermore, the PFA is also authorized to carry out cyber patrol operations on social networks, again without judicial oversight.
Courrier International
