Posted on 08/01/2005 9:37:49 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal authorities arrested 582 alleged gang members over a two-week period, officials said Monday, targeting an estimated 80 violent groups they say have spawned street crimes across the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff called the gangs "a threat to our homeland security and ... a very urgent law enforcement priority."
Investigators picked up most of the offenders between July 16 and July 28 on immigration violations for being in the United States illegally. Seventy-six face criminal charges, ranging from illegal possession of a firearm to holding fraudulent documents.
"For too long, these gangs have gone unchecked - flouting all laws and demonstrating a blatant disregard for public safety," Chertoff said in announcing the arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. ICE is an arm of the Homeland Security Department.
Investigators targeted members in 27 states of what they considered to be the most violent street gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13; Surenos; the 18th Street Gang; Latin Kings; the Mexican Mafia; Border Brothers; Brown Pride and numerous others.
Many of the arrests came in large urban areas, including 61 in Boston, 28 in Denver, and 23 each in Los Angeles and Detroit. But even smaller cities have been infiltrated by the gangs, the arrests showed, including 42 in Birmingham, Ala., and one each in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and North Platte, Neb.
The crackdown is part of ICE's ongoing "Operation Community Shield" campaign, targeting gang activity with other federal and state authorities. So far, ICE has made 1,057 arrests as part of the sting.
More than half of them have been members of MS-13, a street gang rooted in Central America where members have been known to behead enemies and attack with grenades and machetes. Federal officials estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 MS-13 members live in 31 states - the majority of them in the country illegally.
"We're just getting started," said ICE investigations chief Marcy Forman.
I think creating this position was a good idea and that Chertoff is the right man for the job. Another Bush win that we often overlook.
His total vote was 289,116 out of a population of 3.8 million. Hahn got 204,000.
Actually amazingly close considering that LA is so liberal.
But then again, that would be logical thinking to Homeland UNSecurity....
It seems particularly absurd to me that you would say this on a thread that clearly shows that something is being done about it. Maybe you thing not enough is being done but you know nothing about what is going on behind the scenes. It is easy to be a Keyboard Rambo and insist on immediate solutions to difficult problems but it does nothing to solve the problem. It only underminds those who are trying to solve it.
Maybe we can get DFU to compose us a fight song called "I'm a Keyboard Rambo" and dedicate it to you and yours.
Arresting 0.000001% of the criminal invaders swamping the USA is merely a token PR gesture, empty symbolism.
Here in Indianapolis, they arrest these gang members, not all are illegal aliens, then the jails are too full and they release them on a low bond or on their own recognizance. Then they are back out committing more crimes.
"The Crips and Bloods organizations are no longer organized or powerful enough to cause the kind of trouble that many of the Latin American gangs can cause."
Good grief. I guess I'm not a hep cat any more.
I am of the opinion that the intent is sincere rather than symbolism. It may seem a drop in the bucket but this is an awfully complex problem. At least they are addressing it.
With several MILLION invaders strolling in every year, these 500 gangsters are replaced every few hours.
"We are making progress! We are removing one gallon more of water than we took out last hour! This is a great improvement!"
You don't understand.
See, 40% of them are going to vote Republican according to the brainiacs in DC, so it will all be ok, somehow.
ping
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
We have had many threads on this subject, discussed it each way from Sunday, and everyone has their opinions. It is a complex problem with no easy solution. However, it is being worked on. If it were simple the problem wouldn't exist.
As I have said, it is easy to be a Keyboard Rambo and say, "They should....!! I would....! They coulda, I woulda, etc." but actually doing it without creating other dislocations and getting it through the political maze is not easy. You must remember that the Democrats like the situation just as it is.
Although the gangs may be here illegally, law enforcement is a local problem. Some blue cities won't even arrest illegals when asked to by the feds but they scream for the feds to do something when the illegals becomes a problem. The purpose is to create a problem and blame it on the Republicans and Bush. They do the same with respect to the terrorists.
Just as the Democrats are exacerbating the problem with both illegals and the terrorists so are the Keyboard Rambos who demand action which can't easily be taken. That aids the Democrats, and I think we have several Democrat moles here on FR, by dividing support for the Republicans. The Republicans are not all we would like them to be but they are far, far better than the alternative.
Correctamundo! We have one of those great "sanctuary cities".
Bailing with teaspoons is a waste of time, when our lifeboat has the bottom ripped out.
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