DeLay urges national gang initiative - include terrorism and immigration

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.

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.

It seems that defending our borders from the invading hordes of illegals is a controversial position. Who knew?

I don't think that is what's being said here..

Some quotes from the article:
"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."

" He (Fort Bend County Sheriff Milton Wright) 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."

" He (Delay) said an anti-gang effort should be combined with other federal initiatives such as immigration reform, border security and anti-terrorism."

With "federal involvement" comes federal intervention, federal demands for cooperation, federal oversight, federal control..

The federal government already has the responsibility of protecting our borders..
The American Military has the power (and responsibility) to do so..
The individual states could easily handle the few illegal immigrants found within their borders as they see fit, if the borders were properly controlled..
Illegal immigrants would become, defacto, those that failed to leave when their visas run out, or those who fail to register with the INS ( ICE ? ) on a yearly basis..

As for Gangs, that is not the provence of the federal government.. although I am sure the DOJ and congress can find numerous "interstate commerce" violations to justify a Gang Taskforce... Not to mention RICO violations..
Oh... They already have.. National Major Gang Task Force as noted in post #5, by endthematrix..
So what do they need a "new" program for?
The feds already have one, don't they??

So, as it stands, this will not be a "Local LEO Assistance Program"..
You will have FBI, DEA, DOJ, INS, U.S.Customs, Border Patrol, BATF(E), Homeland Security, etc., etc., ...
ALL VYING FOR JURISDICTION AND "CREDIT" for making seizures, arrests, indictments, getting convictions,....
All claiming responsibility for and credit for the great acheivements, and using them to justify greater allocations of funding to "their" particular organisation..
Shall I go on?

As if we haven't seen enough interagency rivalry between the FBI, DOJ and CIA in the last 5 to 10 years, now we will have all these agencies vying for "top dog" on immigration, gangs, drugs, and terrorism ... ( looks like Homeland Security will lose any powers they may have to the other, established agencies before they can even get their "feet wet".. )

If the cities and states drop the ball, then what?

Just need enough people to get "fed up" and vote the suckers out.. City and State..

It is the people that determine who their city government is composed of.. with the vote..
Likewise, it is the people and their vote that determines the composition of the state legislature..

If the people don't like the way the city/state is running things, get rid of them..
Put people in office that will do what needs to be done..

Democrats / Liberals understand this concept...
It's called "getting involved at the Local Level"..
They have used it in the past to great effect..
(granted, for the wrong reasons, but to great effect, nonetheless..)

Just remember, when looking for "more aggressive law enforcement", be careful..
You may just get what you asked for..

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