Posted on 07/08/2005 12:36:39 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
House leader says effort should include terrorism and immigration - ....25,000 active gangs with 750,000 members in 3,000 jurisdictions across the country.
RICHMOND - U.S House Majority Leader Tom DeLay called Thursday for a national strategy, similar to the country's anti-terrorism effort, to battle criminal gangs that operate across thousands of jurisdictions in the United States.
DeLay made the comments after meeting with local and federal law officials at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.
No major policy decisions were made at the gathering, attended by area sheriffs and several police chiefs, including Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt and Harris County Sheriff Tommy Thomas.
"There is no reason from my perspective why we can't put together a national effort to go after gangs," DeLay said.
He said an anti-gang effort should be combined with other federal initiatives such as immigration reform, border security and anti-terrorism.
At least four homicides in Houston this year have been linked to one gang, MS-13, and one slaying in Fort Bend County could be connected to gang activity, authorities said.
One of the Houston-area crimes tied to MS-13 included the slaying of 18-month-old Aiden Naquin, who was shot in the head while strapped in an infant car seat April 12 in Huffman. The suspect awaits trial.
In Fort Bend County, investigators said the May 4 shooting death of Abigail Seyler, 21, could be connected to a gang-related homicide that occurred several days before in Houston.
Other criminal activity thought to be connected to gangs includes a rash of driveway robberies last summer in the northeast part of Fort Bend County that adjoins Harris County.
Fort Bend County Sheriff Milton Wright expressed concern about local gang activity but said it is not time to panic.
"It is not critical. It is not serious. It is something that is beginning to bubble to the surface, and we are beginning to see a little more of it," Wright said.
Wright said the first step in fighting gangs is to build a database to be shared by local law enforcement agencies. He said police often do not find out about a gang until a crime has been committed.
"What we want is to identify the gangs up front and attack it from that angle, the prevention and proactive approach rather than come in and solve a crime that was committed by these gangs," Wright said.
He said the creation of a multiagency task force would also be useful in fighting gangs.
Federal resources would be key in launching those efforts, authorities said.
To that end, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill in May, the Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005, which authorizes increases in federal funding to support local law enforcement. The bill also strengthens existing gang and violent crime penalties. The measure is still being considered in the Senate.
The bill's backers cited Justice Department figures showing there are more than 25,000 active gangs with 750,000 members in 3,000 jurisdictions across the country.
DeLay, who supported the bill, said federal involvement is a good way to tackle the problem.
He said a national gang strategy could overlap other federal initiatives such as anti-terrorism.
"Maybe you don't have the Crips involved in terrorism, but you never know that the Crips or MS-13 are not involved in helping terrorists getting across our borders," DeLay said.
eric.hanson@chron.com
"He said the creation of a multiagency task force would also be useful in fighting gangs."
Jesus, Tom...you broke my heart. You have no better platform, and you tout friggin' block grants again and ask for a federal force to solve the problem!?!?! If Tom DeLay had called for militarizing the border and providing for the common defense our country deserves back in 2001, most of MS-13's members wouldn't be here.
New reason to keep Ellington's F-16s - Task force says London attacks show the need for combat aircraft to protect the area***....The terrorist attacks in London showed the importance of keeping fighter jets at Ellington Field to protect the area's petrochemical plants — and its people, local and federal leaders said Thursday.
"Homeland security starts at home, and Houston can't afford to be left unprotected," said U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land.
The Pentagon recommended in May that all F-16 jets of the Air National Guard's 147th Fighter Wing, based at Ellington, be retired as part of a plan to consolidate military assets and cut costs.
But DeLay, Houston Mayor Bill White, Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia and other members of the Ellington Field Task Force say the combat aircraft are needed to protect residents, as well as the Johnson Space Center, the Port of Houston and the vast petrochemical complex along the Houston Ship Channel.
They met at Ellington on Thursday with James Hansen, a member of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, in an effort to convince him that the fighters are needed here. The meeting had been scheduled before the terrorist attacks on the London transit system Thursday morning.
In addition to this area's critical role in the nation's oil supply, the FBI has identified nine other facilities, including the Texas Medical Center, as possible terrorist targets.
The task force will make its case again at a commission hearing Monday in San Antonio.
The commission, which will make its final recommendations to President Bush on Sept. 8, has held several other hearings as communities across the nation try to save military bases and other facilities that the Defense Department recommended cutting.............***
I like Tom DeLay a lot. But he needs to BE a leader on this issue. I'm not calling for his removal--I'm calling for him to step up and make noise on an issue that he knows is hurting his state, border control, instead of sending federal dollars where they ought not to go, Texas cities. Your calling him a whipping boy is distraction from the fact that he's asking for more federal intrusion when the feds need to do THEIR jobs and stay the hell out of local policing. Block grants are paid for with someone's tax dollars. Those tax dollars need to be left in the localities where they were lifted if they're going to be spent on local policing.
And btw, I'm not about to suck up to Tom DeLay because he likes all the Texas pork you cite. You do a fine job of smooching his rectum all by yourself.
You know so much, why don't you run for office slick and show us how its done.
Yeah. I see how well it's not working.
He said an anti-gang effort should be combined with other federal initiatives such as immigration reform, border security and anti-terrorism.I wonder, has he said this to the GOP leadership and been shouted down? As a party leader I'd think he'd have some sway in the party's priorities.
It's a good start, but we need a helluva lot more than a good start to shut down MS 13 and staunch the flow of illegals coming in.
Gangs (organized crime) operate because of vice. Eliminate the prohibition and the underworld will evaporate.
No. They'll just find another way to make fast money.
You live in a dream world.
That's how the liberals look at the situation.
Karl Rove was so right in his speech about terrorism.
Maybe...the free-market, not the black-market.
The Feds already dole out the cash and FBI, DEA and DOJ assistance. Now you you think a bureaucracy in DC with alleviate the problem?
Stay off this thread.
You don't think illegal immigration and terrorism is tied to gang activity?
Oh I see you replied...and civilly this time.
To your question, yes.
I would prefer to see the Federal Government leave the Law Enforcement to the states...
Expansion of federal powers bother me.. a lot..
If I had my "druthers", I would reduce all fed LEO responsibilities to one organization, say, the U.S. Marshalls Service..
The FBI would return to investigation of federal crimes, and state crimes when requested by local authorities..
But they would have no LEO powers, therefore, no "personal interest" in how the case turned out.
There only function would be to provide accurate, concise information on evidence gathered..
Likewise, DOJ, DEA, etc.. would be placed in investigative, information-gathering capacities..
The matter of drug smuggling would be handled by Coast Guard, Border Patrol, and Customs...
All other drug cases would be handled by state LEO, or U.S. Marshalls, respectively...
If the Federal Government wants to do something to help combat Terrorism, Illegal immigration, and Gang Activity, they can do so by providing a national database accessable by all State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies..
This would be a true help..
The Feds, however, are not interested in helping solve the problem, however...
They are far more interested in amassing personal (federal) powers..
They are far more interested in interfering with, intimidating, and intruding upon the lives of the average, ordinary citizen..
They simply want power over every citizen in every aspect of their daily lives..
The more I see of our so-called War on Terrorism, the more I am reminded of the War on Drugs, which has cost Millions in funding, destroyed the lives of countless people, (much like the drugs they are supposedly combatting) and destroyed the rights of every citizen, without ever making a dent in the problem for which it was created..
As long as this "initiative" can remain within the confines of an "information sharing system", I would approve of it..
Problem is, I don't think that's the way it's gonna go..
It seems that defending our borders from the invading hordes of illegals is a controversial position. Who knew?
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