DOJ Indicts MS-13 Gang Member on Terrorism

Since President Trump took office, he has remained committed to our nation’s border security, solving the immigration crisis, and combatting the violent MS-13 gang that has executed horrific crimes in communities across the country.

In 2017, President Trump directed his administration to develop a comprehensive plan to dismantle criminal organizations like the violent MS-13 gang. The Joint Task Force Vulcan was conceived as a result to coordinate DOJ and law enforcement efforts to bring down MS-13.

Since its inception, the task force has coordinated significant indictments across the country and designated priority MS-13 programs, cliques, and leaders. It has also collaborated with foreign law enforcement counterparts tackling MS-13.

This week, the Department of Justice under the Trump administration indicted an MS-13 gang member on terrorism related charges for the first time ever and they have announced new actions to crack down on recently apprehended gang members:

• The Administration is filing to seek the death penalty for a MS-13 leader who was charged with seven murders, including the horrific machete and baseball bat killings of two high school students.
• The Administration recently indicted a former leader of MS-13 who committed multiple terrorism offenses and directed acts of violence, murder, and drug trafficking.
  • This marks the first time that an MS-13 member has been charged with terrorism offenses in the United States.
• Eight MS-13 members were indicted last week for their involvement with six murders, two attempted murders, kidnapping, and narcotics and firearms offenses.
• On July 9^th, thirteen MS-13 members were charged in a 21-count indictment, including narcotics distribution and weapons charges.
• In fiscal year 2019, ICE’s HSI agents made almost 4,000 arrests of transnational gang members, including hundreds of MS-13 members.
• US Border Patrol arrested 464 MS-13 members in fiscal year 2019 – an 83% increase from 2016.

“In 2017, the President directed the Department of Justice to go to war against MS-13, and we did just that,” Attorney General William Barr said Thursday. “While there is still work to be done, the Department of Justice remains committed to protecting Americans threatened by MS-13, and we will not rest until we have successfully defeated this transnational criminal organization.”

The radical left Democrats will continue to push for open borders and free healthcare for illegal aliens, but President Trump and his administration will continue to fight for American safety, security, and the enforcement of law and order.