Illegal Immigration, Sanctuary Cities and Gangs

For the past 10-years gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and 18th Street have been a growing plague in many Central American countries. As these gangs and their crime grow, many of these countries have decided 'enough is enough' and passed the most aggressive anti-gang laws in modern day history.

For example, in 2003 the Honduras government enacted a law making it illegal to be a gang member. If an individual was found with any gang-related tattoos (whether old or new) they were arrested with a possible 12-year prison term. Many other Central American countries have followed suit with similar laws. The gang problem has gotten so frusterating for Central American, that some people have even reported that off-duty police officers have been executing gang members to further rid their country of these career criminals.

To escape police pressure many gang affiliated individuals are illegally crossing our nation’s border and leaving their country behind. In an 8-month period during 2004, of the many thousand immigrants captured along the Mexican border by Border Patrol, 30,000 of those captured had prior criminal records including many that had outstanding warrants for murder.

Recently the U. S. National Drug Intelligence Center estimated there are 10,000 Mara Salvatrucha gang members operating in our nation. Law enforcement officials estimate 9 out of 10 Mara Salvatrucha gang members are here illegally. That's a scary thought considering that several government sources have indicated a connection between some Mara Salvatrucha gang members and al Qaeda terrorist.

We know why these gangs are leaving their countries.

We also know that they are already here among us and our children.

So are they here to find a better way of life or to continue their criminal lifestyle?

“Their violence, sophistication and scope have reached intolerable levels," says Julie Myers, assistant secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Law enforcement officials have reported MS-13 members have increasingly been involved in shooting at border officers, murders, extortion, drug trafficking and numerous stabbing attacks--where they have attacked rival gangs with machetes.

So how are many of our city’s mayors, law enforcement administrations and elected officials responding to this situation?

They continue to support sanctuary policies, the policy prohibiting police officers from notifying federal immigration officials about illegal immigrants who are living in our nation illegally and engaged in crime.

Like when Washington D. C. Police Chief Charles Ramsay reminded the public that he would not backslide on a 1984 order prohibiting D. C. government employees from getting involved in dealing with criminals’ immigration status. It makes one ponder why Washington D. C. is known as one of the most dangerous places in America.

When an MS-13 gangster illegally immigrates to our country, once they make their way into a city that has a sanctuary policy (such as Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D. C., New York, and many more), they can live there with little fear of ever being deported back to their country.

If they are stopped by police officers and arrested for a crime, as a United States citizen you would assume that the gang member would be deported—but you’re wrong.

You would think that many of these cities have learned their lesson and abandon these sanctuary policies. Let’s remember what happened in Denver not too long ago. A 19-year-old illegal immigrant was stopped and arrested 3-times for minor law violations. Even though officers knew he was here illegally the officers were prohibited by their department’s policy from taking any further action. This same 19-year-old illegal immigrant later murdered a Denver police officer in an unexpected attack. Ironically this 19-year-old illegal immigrant was an employee (in violation of federal law) at a restaurant owned by the city's Mayor.

As the noose around gangs tightens in many Central American countries, gang members will continue to resettle in countries and cities that allow them the greatest flexibility to continue their criminal lifestyles.

Cities that offer sanctuary to illegal immigrants and knowingly and openly violate federal immigration laws are creating asylum for violent gangs. It is these sanctuary cities who essentially handcuff their own law enforcement officers from effectively fighting crime and gangs.

It’s time for a change…

That's our opinion, what's yours?