The U.S. government’s process for screening foreign security force units and individuals to ensure they have not committed gross violations of human rights (GVHRs) before receiving U.S. assistance. This process implements the Leahy Laws, which prohibit funding to units with credible evidence of abuses such as torture, extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, or rape under color of law.
The vetting procedure is conducted by the Department of State and Department of Defense, utilizing the International Vetting and Security Tracking (INVEST) system. Checks begin at U.S. embassies overseas and are reviewed by analysts in Washington, D.C., assessing both classified records and open-source reports. If a unit is found ineligible, assistance is denied unless the partner government demonstrates remediation by taking effective steps to bring responsible members to justice through impartial investigations and appropriate sentencing.