EDINBURG, Texas – An MS-13 gang member arrested near Hidalgo, Texas. July 25, 2018. Photo provided by: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
In the Washington Examiner, Anna Giaritelli reports the horror that Salvadoran refugees face, leaving their home country to escape the terrors of MS-13, only to find the gang active right here in the United States. Giaritelli details the gang’s activities in Northern Virginia, but MS-13 has rooted itself in communities all across America. She writes:
As of late 2019, MS-13 has approximately 3,000 members, on par with recent years’ figures, according to two officials. Jay Lanham, executive director of the task force, named MS-13 “by far the largest gang in Northern Virginia,” adding, “Due to the transient nature of gangs and that many are here illegally, it is impossible to give accurate numbers.” ICE arrested 4,341 gang members in fiscal 2019, 10% of whom belonged to MS-13.
MS-13 came to the Washington region years ago and has remained in part because of the area’s large population of people from Central America. “They’re going to find people that are accustomed to their culture, language, their local language. They’re going to feel more in tune to the community,” said the ICE official.
MS-13’s top crimes are dealing cocaine or marijuana, in street deals or by selling small bulk loads. They are not manufacturing or growing narcotics, just facilitating its movement to, from, and within certain regions.
“They stake out in cantinas and deal out of there, get free drinks, take some of its profits,” said a fourth person and task force member. “They may run an area where they sell narcotics and provide protection for the neighborhood.”
MS-13 has proven to be one of the most violent gangs in America. It is turning American neighborhoods into “no-go zones” like those found in Paris.
Americans are taking notice of the heightened danger in their neighborhoods. It’s no wonder they have been purchasing firearms in greater numbers. Today America has 423 million firearms, enough for a silent army.
If you haven’t already taken the responsible step of buying a firearm and learning how to use it, it’s time to get your gun and your training now.
Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.
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