| Since the early nineties, criminal gang networks | | | | home countries upon completion of their prison terms.In |
| operating across the border between the United | | | | many cases, young men who were arrested for |
| States and Central America have exploded in power | | | | assault, drug dealing, or other relatively low-level |
| and number. The gangs take advantage of loopholes | | | | profit-making criminal activity entered the prison |
| in international immigration and deportation policies to | | | | system. U.S. immigration authorities then identified them |
| spread their influence through extreme violence.The | | | | as not having proper documentation and tagged them |
| Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, has become one of the | | | | for deportation.Many of these young men came to the |
| "Most Wanted" of these gangs. What began as a | | | | United States as children in the 1980s with their parents |
| loosely-connected group of Salvadoran immigrant | | | | to flee the civil wars in Central America. They do not |
| youth banded together for protection in the join-or-die | | | | have strong familial connections in Central America, |
| gang culture of Los Angeles has now grown into a | | | | and in some cases do not even speak Spanish well. |
| transnational criminal hydra involved in murder, extortion, | | | | Often their "return" to their homeland is like arriving |
| and some gun and drug smuggling.U.S. deportation | | | | alone in a foreign country.The growing problem of the |
| policies aggressively send undocumented gang | | | | MS-13 in Central America highlights inadequate |
| members back to their home countries in Central | | | | immigration controls and poor deportation policies. To |
| America. They export U.S. gang culture and hardened | | | | effectively tackle the problem requires binational |
| criminals to countries whose internal security forces | | | | efforts that combine immigration reform, changes in |
| are ill-equipped to deal with the new threat. The street | | | | deportation policies, as well as domestic security |
| gangs have rapidly grown beyond being just a | | | | measures. It also requires U.S. policies to effectively |
| neighborhood problem to presenting a real national | | | | handle the realities of immigration as well as manage |
| security threat in these countries.Criminal deportees | | | | foreign nationals, both legal and undocumented, living in |
| bring tactics, organization, and other criminal skills | | | | the United States.In fiscal year 1997, the INS deported |
| learned in U.S. prisons. These abilities translate into | | | | 111,794 illegal foreigners. Over half had been convicted |
| more sophisticated networks that have created a | | | | of a crime in the United States. It was the first time the |
| web that spans across Honduras, El Salvador, and | | | | INS had deported over 100,000 illegal residents in one |
| Guatemala. Over time this network has made some | | | | year."In that process [the United States] has managed |
| links with organized crime, acting at times like foot | | | | to export U.S. gang-style culture, customs, and |
| soldiers to help with smuggling, assassination, and other | | | | contacts," said Geoff Thale, a Senior Associate for |
| duties.Street gangs remain distinct from organized | | | | Central America at the Washington Office on Latin |
| crime. But they have become a leading cause of | | | | America.Gang members that are sent back to their |
| insecurity in Central America. The region's history with | | | | home countries bring with them more sophisticated |
| clandestine death squads, drug and gun smuggling, | | | | methods, organizational strategies, and contacts in the |
| corruption, and violence during the U.S.-supported "dirty | | | | United States-all facilitating a more aggressive and |
| wars" provided a propitious culture for the gangs' | | | | organized criminal enterprise. These factors combine |
| insertion into society. The U.S. Federal Bureau of | | | | to create a loosely-tied network of street gangs that |
| Investigation as well as national police in three Central | | | | have complete control over towns and suburban |
| American countries actively seek solutions to break | | | | areas in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.Their |
| this 20-year-old cycle, but U.S. authorities and their | | | | often illegal status in the United States has thrust the |
| Central American colleagues face a difficult game of | | | | U.S. Department of Homeland Security's section of |
| catch-up.Born in the USA | | | | Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the forefront |
| The civil wars that ravaged Guatemala, Honduras, | | | | of U.S. authorities' strategies. This national security and |
| and El Salvador in the 1980s displaced tens of | | | | international staging approach has caused some |
| thousands of Central Americans from their homes into | | | | friction with local officials who would prefer to deal |
| Mexico and the United States. Many of these families | | | | with it within their own security strategies.Central |
| settled in cities in the United States close to the | | | | American Security |
| Mexican border. Cities such as Los Angeles absorbed | | | | Meanwhile, Central American governments have |
| large communities of Central Americans who sought | | | | taken a zero-tolerance approach to dealing with street |
| to carve out a space in the city's poor neighborhoods | | | | gangs. While many observers agree that the gang |
| that had been controlled by Mexican street gangs | | | | problem is a symptom of large-scale social problems |
| since as early as the 1950s.The word "mara" loosely | | | | rooted in poverty, unemployment, and limited |
| translated from Spanish means group or gang. | | | | opportunity, government officials have harnessed |
| Salvatrucha, in Salvadoran Spanish slang, means a | | | | popular support among voters through promoting |
| streetwise Salvadoran. Mara Salvatruchas is a term | | | | policies commonly referred to as "hard hand" and "iron |
| that refers to Salvadoran immigrants who formed | | | | fist" or mano dura in Spanish.Mano dura policies |
| gangs in the 70s and 80s to protect themselves from | | | | specifically target street gangs, also referred to as |
| their rivals in the street gangs that dominated Los | | | | pandillas. In El Salvador, the Super Mano Dura policy is |
| Angeles at that time.The number 13 marks the position | | | | made up of four axes, Salvadoran spokesman for the |
| of the letter "m" in the alphabet and is a nod to the | | | | Ministry of Government, Porfirio Chica, told the |
| Mexican Mafia, a gang that controls the prisons in | | | | Americas Program. They are: prevention, rehabilitation, |
| Southern California. Put together, the name "MS-13" | | | | combating crime, and reinsertion. Yet the policy, when |
| states membership of a gang, primarily made up of | | | | implemented, often leads to national police officers |
| Salvadorans, that holds allegiance to the Mexican | | | | targeting young men and women for arrest based on |
| Mafia in Southern California.The MS-13 formed in | | | | tattoos, loitering on certain street corners, or simply |
| California, but over the years has spread into Central | | | | association with known gang members. Cops who |
| America due to transnational movement of gang | | | | arrest gang members see many of them released |
| members through choice or deportation. Since the | | | | within 24 hours due to lack of evidence pertaining to |
| mid-90s, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service | | | | real crimes. "Of the 10,000 street gang members |
| (INS) has actively deported tens of thousands of | | | | currently located in the Salvadorian criminal database, |
| convicted criminals back to their countries of birth in | | | | over 3,000 currently reside in prison," Chica said, adding |
| Central America.After September 11, 2001, INS was | | | | that "because of a tendency for criminals to organize |
| absorbed into U.S. Immigration and Customs | | | | themselves in prison we have taken the leaders and |
| Enforcement (ICE), under the umbrella of the U.S. | | | | placed them in separate maximum security |
| Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ICE, working | | | | prisons."These policies have spurred an unofficial war |
| with the other DHS components, presents a more | | | | between gang members and the police. Politicians and |
| comprehensive approach to tackling transnational gang | | | | other members of Central America's elite social |
| violence. However, years of questionable deportation | | | | classes have also been accused of paying individuals, |
| policies have left the organization with a formidable | | | | including off-duty police officers, to hunt down and |
| challenge.In many cases, deported individuals were | | | | assassinate gang members. The retaliation to these |
| brought to the United States at a young age. So when | | | | street vigilante actions from MS-13 members has been |
| they are deported to Central America, they have little | | | | brutal, violent, and widespread.Carmen Aida Ibarra, a |
| to depend on in their home countries, outside of gang | | | | researcher with the Guatemala-based Myrna Mack |
| connections.The MS-13 is now an established | | | | Foundation, told the Americas Program that "corruption |
| presence in Central America. It actively recruits young | | | | plays an important role because it is the principal factor |
| men and women, who in turn eventually find | | | | that impedes the deconstruction of clandestine groups." |
| themselves back in the United States as illegal | | | | Private individuals or interests perpetuate the illegal |
| immigrants. This cycle, fed in part by U.S. deportation | | | | violent activities of these groups by paying them not to |
| strategies, has increased MS-13 numbers in both | | | | kill communists but young gang members.Five years |
| Central America and the United States, where there is | | | | after El Salvador's civil war ended in 1991, the country |
| now a significant MS-13 presence on both the east | | | | boasted the world's highest death rate per capita, with |
| and west coasts.Over the years, the MS-13 grew and | | | | over 150 deaths for every 100,000 inhabitants. Polls |
| members moved beyond Los Angeles into other U.S. | | | | showed that during this time, some 46% of the |
| cities. MS-13 presence has been spotted in over 33 | | | | population believed that citizens retained the right to |
| U.S. states as well as the District of Colombia. There | | | | deliver justice with their own hands.While authorities |
| are an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 MS-13 members in | | | | have been targeting gang and criminal violence, the |
| the United States, according to the U.S. Department of | | | | success of polices like mano dura remains |
| Justice.As the MS-13 grew throughout the United | | | | debatable."El Salvador still holds the region's number |
| States their clashes with rivals from the M-18 gang, as | | | | one spot for per capita homicides," Ricardo Montoya, |
| well as other street gangs, earned MS-13 members a | | | | analyst with the Research Foundation for the |
| strong reputation for brutal violence. It is widely known | | | | Application of Law, a Salvadoran research |
| that the MS-13 weapon of choice is a | | | | organization, said in a recent interview. Montoya |
| machete.Recruitment is often self-selective, targets | | | | explained that crime, particularly homicide, has |
| pre-adolescents, and more often than not leads to a | | | | increased in El Salvador since the first application of |
| life of crime where the only escape is through serious | | | | mano dura politics in 2003.In 2005 there were 3,812 |
| injury or death.Gang Life | | | | homicides, the highest figure in seven years. This is an |
| When he was nine, Luis, a former member of the | | | | average of ten to 12 murders a day in a county of |
| Mara Salvatrucha street gang, started hanging out with | | | | some 6.7 million people. According to the Legal Medical |
| gang members in Southern California. By the time he | | | | Institute, over 80% of those killed were shot in the |
| was 13 he was considered an unofficial member of | | | | head.Guatemala currently registers over 100 homicides |
| the MS-13. His official membership began when he | | | | per 100,000 inhabitants, and many of those killed are |
| was "jumped in." This process is part of gang law that | | | | young men believed to be associated with street |
| requires that new members be jumped by a small | | | | gangs. In 2004 some 5,553 youths were killed in |
| group of peers who punch, kick, and otherwise | | | | Guatemala, according to Emilio Goubaud, director of |
| pummel the new member for the duration of the | | | | the Association for the Prevention of Crime, a |
| initiation ceremony. Enduring the beating is a show of | | | | Guatemalan organization.Perhaps the most public |
| toughness and loyalty to the gang." When it became | | | | display of street gang activity happened in Honduras in |
| law that everybody had to get jumped in, my | | | | December 2004 when a group of MS-13 members |
| homeboys said, 'Hey, you want to keep chillin' with us, | | | | attacked a bus with automatic rifles. They killed 28 |
| you're gonna have to get jumped in'," Luis told the IRC | | | | civilians and wounded 12 more. Their attack is |
| Americas Program. "I was 16 or 17 when I got jumped | | | | considered to be retaliation for mano dura policies |
| in," he said.Once young men and women pass through | | | | promoted by the Honduran government. Specific death |
| this tough initiation, they join a large group of peers | | | | threats, left in a note found at the scene of the crime, |
| who provide support, protection, financial stability, and | | | | were made to Honduran President Ricardo Maduro |
| companionship. Luis explained that, although in the | | | | and Congressional leader Lobo Sosa.Transnational |
| United States he has never seen kids as young as | | | | Cooperation |
| seven or eight jumped in, he has seen 7-year-old kids | | | | "When [gang members] came out of the prison |
| already covered with MS-13 tattoos in Central | | | | systems of the United States and went back [to their |
| America. "They're basically homeless children," he | | | | home countries], that's when they became more |
| said.Street gangs create social networks that rely on | | | | formalized. Then what happened is that the |
| crime to finance what is essentially a lifestyle that | | | | environment down there was right for these kinds of |
| allows youths to survive in a world where there are | | | | criminal activities and it just spread," Stanley Stoy, |
| limited opportunities, a lack of parental presence, and | | | | acting director for the FBI's MS-13 National Gang Task |
| little to no hope for a chance at a better life.Luis lived | | | | Force, told Americas Program.Stoy explains that the |
| for a time in Virginia with his mother, and then | | | | FBI began looking at the MS-13 more closely in late |
| eventually moved back to California to live with his | | | | 2004 due to its level of violence and transnational |
| father and aunts, but there was no central parental | | | | presence. The FBI has been active in Central |
| figure in his life. So his chosen family became his street | | | | American countries, especially El Salvador, assisting |
| gang."When I grew up and everything I joined the gang, | | | | with intelligence gathering and promoting |
| I felt as though I owed something to them, because | | | | professionalism in the national police. On Sept. 7, 2005 |
| they were there for me when I actually needed | | | | the FBI participated in a day-long, large transnational |
| someone," Luis explained."They showed me love; they | | | | operation that included more than 6,400 federal agents |
| bought me shoes, clothes, stuff like that. So I felt | | | | and other officers in 15 U.S. states, Mexico, and Central |
| comfortable with them. I didn't sense any danger, or | | | | America. The operation netted 659 arrests of MS-13 |
| any fear that they were going to get me in trouble. I | | | | and other transnational gang members: 77 in the United |
| only had positive thoughts. I knew what they did, but | | | | States, 232 in El Salvador, 162 in Honduras, 98 in |
| they explained to me why they do what they did."In | | | | Guatemala, and 90 in Mexico's Chiapas state, which |
| the slums of Los Angeles and other cities in California, | | | | shares a border with Guatemala.The operation's |
| the kids that come from broken or separated families | | | | success demonstrated the benefits of transnational |
| in marginal immigrant communities quickly fall into | | | | cooperation, but some analysts warn that there are still |
| gangs. It's unavoidable, according to Luis."If you walk | | | | over 100,000 street gang members in Honduras. Other |
| down the block, there is another gang there. Every | | | | estimates show that there are as many as some |
| block is a different gang, so people who live over | | | | 600,000 street gang members in El Salvador.While |
| there, especially in neighborhoods where there are | | | | these numbers may be inflated, they illustrate the |
| gangs, it's not like you really have a choice," he | | | | extent of the problem. On Sept. 1, 2005, El Salvador |
| said.Getting Out | | | | even took the step of deploying 1,000 soldiers to |
| During a high speed car chase with police about five | | | | reinforce police efforts to contain street gangs |
| years ago, Luis lost his left leg after he flew through | | | | there.Experts like Geoff Thale agree that military |
| the front windshield of his car in a head-on collision. | | | | involvement is likely to exacerbate the problem, as |
| While recovering in the hospital, family members | | | | other heavy-handed actions have done, rather than |
| pleaded with him to see his survival of the crash as a | | | | bring a rapid solution. Increased professionalism among |
| miracle, and a reason to consider if staying in MS-13 | | | | Central American police officers is perhaps the |
| was worth dying for."It did work. That's when I decided | | | | quickest route to improving security there. U.S. |
| to chill, and I did chill for a while because I was in | | | | deportation practices should be more sensitive to |
| recovery. But then I ran into some friends at a party a | | | | Central America's street gang problems. But root |
| few months later, and they wanted me to come back | | | | causes based in poverty and limited opportunity in |
| into the game. I couldn't say no, because I knew if I | | | | Central American countries must be addressed before |
| didn't do something to prove I was still chillin' with them, | | | | this endemic security problem can be adequately |
| they would try and mess me up, even stab me, for not | | | | combated.The FBI says that there is no link between |
| being loyal to them."When the other members of | | | | MS-13 and al-Qaida or other terrorist groups, but |
| MS-13 asked Luis to do a car-jacking to prove he was | | | | experts believe that the MS-13 and other street gang |
| still in the gang, they left him alone at the scene when | | | | groups have become more and more involved with |
| a local cop approached and caught Luis stealing the | | | | the elite organized crime groups that traffic guns and |
| car, landing him in jail. After being betrayed by his | | | | drugs in the region.If this is the case, then what used to |
| friends, "the last thing I wanted while in prison was to | | | | be a regional problem could very well stretch into a |
| hear from MS . I was so angry, and felt like I had been | | | | hemispheric phenomenon, where Colombian and |
| betrayed, almost like I had been set up," he | | | | Mexican organized crime elements outsource their |
| explained.Back on the streets after serving some time | | | | dirty work to Central America's street gangs. The |
| for the car-jacking, Luis continued to question what | | | | recent efforts by U.S. authorities and their Central |
| kind of friends his gang buddies really were, guys who | | | | American counterparts represent a good start in |
| had forced him to commit a crime, and then | | | | tackling this complex, multi-faceted transnational |
| abandoned him in the face of police heat. Even though | | | | problem. What remains to be seen, however, is |
| his mind was now filling with thoughts of leaving MS, he | | | | whether this new concerted, multi-national approach |
| continued to run with the gang, and was eventually | | | | can undo two decades of problematic, uncoordinated |
| arrested again, this time for possession of cocaine. Luis | | | | efforts."It may develop into something much greater if |
| is still in the United States, working to stay there and | | | | we didn't address the problem," said Stoy of the FBI. |
| break out of the cycle that has trapped so many | | | | "We realize that if we didn't do anything toward this |
| other gang members.Deportation Policy Exacerbates | | | | problem or to prevent its entrenchment here in the |
| the Problem | | | | United States it would overtake us."Sam Logan ( is an |
| U.S. immigration authorities began aggressively | | | | investigative journalist who has reported on security, |
| targeting illegal immigrants within the U.S. prison system | | | | energy, politics, economics, organized crime, terrorism, |
| in 1996. Many prisoners were deported back to their | | | | and black markets in Latin America since 1999. |