Posted by Tina
The Department of Justice has announced the arrests of 3800 criminal gang members, the culmination of a six month long coordinated investigation, “Operation Regional Shield. Law enforcement officials from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have been coordinating with officials in the US to erradicate MS-13 and other gangs in our communities and put an end to their ruthless and violent criminal acts.:
The more than 3,800 individuals charged announced today include over 70 individuals in the United States in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and Virginia. Law enforcement officers seized six firearms and charged 284 gang members in Guatemala; seized 14 businesses and 11 luxury vehicles and arrested 12 MS-13 money launderers in Honduras; and filed 3,477 criminal charges, resulting in more than 1,400 arrests in El Salvador. …
… One indictment unsealed yesterday in the District of Massachusetts charges Edwin Manica Flores aka Sugar, Chugar and Shugar, an MS-13 leader incarcerated for murder in El Salvador, with a RICO conspiracy for alleged criminal activity he directed in the United States as the leader of MS-13’s “East Coast Program.” … Charges filed in Long Island on July 19 against 17 MS-13 members for 12 murders, including the April 11 quadruple murder of four men in Central Islip; racketeering; attempted murders; assaults; obstruction of justice; arson; conspiracy to distribute marijuana; and firearms.
On February 9, President Donald J. Trump issued an Executive Order on Enforcing Federal Law with Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and Preventing International Trafficking to dismantle and eradicate transnational gangs threatening the safety of our communities. Pursuant to that order, Attorney General Sessions has made dismantling transnational gangs, including MS-13, a top priority.
The joint announcement today was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the United States, Attorney General Douglas Meléndez of El Salvador, Attorney General Thelma Aldana of Guatemala, and Attorney General Oscar Chinchilla of Honduras.
It might be of interest to revisit headlines from the past in light of this announcement.
June of 2014, NewsMax, “Central America Newspapers Tout Open US Door for Illegal Minors”
January 2016, Foreign Policy, “Central America’s Gangs Are All Grown Up”
The spreading wave of savagery — including beheadings, dismemberment, and systematic rape — is the result of the growing involvement of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 gangs in the global cocaine trade. The increasing revenues of these transnational gangs have pushed the groups toward greater sophistication and political awareness. The result is a lethal combination of political messaging that is part liberation theology and part Pablo Escobar — the outcome being that these gangs now boast vast territorial control, growing military power, and rapidly expanding criminal enterprises.
May 2017, Washington Times, “Obama admin knew gang members were part of illegal immigrant surge: Whistleblower”
The Obama administration knowingly let in at least 16 admitted MS-13 gang members who arrived at the U.S. as illegal immigrant teenagers in 2014, a top senator said Wednesday, citing internal documents that showed the teens were shipped to juvenile homes throughout the country.
Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said a whistleblower turned over Customs and Border Protection documents from 2014 detailing the 16 people who were caught crossing the border.
“CBP apprehended them, knew they were MS-13 gang members, and they processed and disbursed them into our communities,” Mr. Johnson, Wisconsin Republican, said.
The gang members were part of the surge of UAC, or “unaccompanied alien children,” as the government labels them, who overwhelmed the Obama administration in 2014, leaving Homeland Security struggling to staunch the flow from Central America.
Officials at the time said the children should be treated as refugees fleeing horrific conditions back home — though security analysts said the children were prime recruiting territory for gangs already in the U.S.
President Obama responded to the crisis in Central America by welcoming record numbers of young male “refugees,” without bothering to seriously vet for gang membership. His open borders approach echoed the sanctuary city mindset that liberal cities have adopted.
August 2017, Fox News, “MS-13 gang members in New York hacked teen to death to boost ‘stature,’ cops say”
The new administration believes in the rule of law and protecting our nation and it’s borders.
August 2017, Fox News, 13 accused ‘Columbus Clique’ MS-13 gang members arrested in Ohio, Indiana”
President Trump has not yet been in office a year but already he’s have made great progress toward making America safe again through good law enforcement under his leadership. The men and women of the various departments, including local and state law enforcement, have been doing an outstanding job.
Fast and loose with respect to the law doesn’t work for me…this citizen is grateful for the new “law and order” policies!