ICE’s Anti-Gang Operation Leads To 1,378 Arrests, Most Are U.S. Citizens
- 7 years ago
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has announced that 1,378 arrests were made during a recent six-week-long operation targeted at gang members throughout the U.S.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has announced that 1,378 arrests were made during a recent six-week-long operation targeted at gang members throughout the U.S, reports CNN.
An agency news release posted on Thursday states that the operation, spearheaded by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, division, “targeted gang members and associates involved in transnational criminal activity, including drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and racketeering.”
Nearly 80 percent of those captured were members or affiliates of gangs, with the Bloods, the Crips, the Sureños, and MS-13 having the highest representation at more than 100 people each.
According to CNN, "MS-13 has been an increasing focus of the Trump administration as part of its border security and immigration enforcement efforts," but ICE captured more Bloods than MS-13 and the other gangs.
The agency release also notes that "of the total arrested, 933 were U.S. citizens and 445 were foreign nationals from 21 countries in South and Central America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean."
Ten were found to have entered the U.S. as unaccompanied minors; Nine of the ten were confirmed as gang members, and most belonged to MS-13.
The sweep, which had the highest concentration of activity in Houston, New York, Atlanta, and Newark, also netted more than 200 firearms, nearly $500,000 in cash, and a large amount of various drugs.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has announced that 1,378 arrests were made during a recent six-week-long operation targeted at gang members throughout the U.S, reports CNN.
An agency news release posted on Thursday states that the operation, spearheaded by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, division, “targeted gang members and associates involved in transnational criminal activity, including drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and racketeering.”
Nearly 80 percent of those captured were members or affiliates of gangs, with the Bloods, the Crips, the Sureños, and MS-13 having the highest representation at more than 100 people each.
According to CNN, "MS-13 has been an increasing focus of the Trump administration as part of its border security and immigration enforcement efforts," but ICE captured more Bloods than MS-13 and the other gangs.
The agency release also notes that "of the total arrested, 933 were U.S. citizens and 445 were foreign nationals from 21 countries in South and Central America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean."
Ten were found to have entered the U.S. as unaccompanied minors; Nine of the ten were confirmed as gang members, and most belonged to MS-13.
The sweep, which had the highest concentration of activity in Houston, New York, Atlanta, and Newark, also netted more than 200 firearms, nearly $500,000 in cash, and a large amount of various drugs.