ICE Sweeps Target MS-13 Gang Members

Authorities conducted a sweep of 27 states, targeting more than 80 violent street gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), 18th Street Gang, Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Asian Boyz, and the Jamaican Posse. Over the past two weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have arrested 582 gang member and associates.

From The Washington Times:

"We have a message for violent street gang members in America: Stopping your violence and criminal activities is high on ICE's list of priorities," said Marcy Forman, the agency's director of investigations. "We're backing up our resolve with results ... and we're just getting started."

Ms. Forman said at a press briefing yesterday that 11 gang leaders, 490 members and 81 associates were arrested on charges related to violent crimes, immigration violations and possession of fraudulent documents.

She said 261 were identified as foreign nationals with criminal records.

According to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, more than 1,000 gang members have been apprehended since March and more than 90 percent were illegal aliens. The anti-gang initiative originally targeted the violent MS-13 gang and, in May, it was expanded to include all criminal prison and street gangs. The sweep, part of ICE's ongoing "Operation Community Shield," covered large urban areas and smaller cities known as gang havens throughout the nation.

Federal authorities estimate that between 8,000 and 10,000 MS-13 members live in 31 states -- the majority of them in the country illegally.