National Security

Trump Promises Destruction Of ‘Vile’ MS-13 After Major Gang Operation

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Will Racke Immigration and Foreign Policy Reporter
Font Size:

President Donald Trump on Friday promised his administration would continue to target MS-13 and other gangs, drawing on a tough-on-crime message that has been a central theme of his presidency.

“Together, we’re going to restore safety to our streets and peace to our communities, and we’re going to destroy the vile criminal cartel, #MS13, and many other gangs…,” the president tweeted.

WATCH:

Trump’s pronouncement came a day after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials announced the arrest of hundreds of suspected MS-13 gang members in a nationwide operation. Dubbed “Operation Raging Bull,” the gang sweep netted a total of 267 MS-13 members in the U.S. and El Salvador, officials said.

The operation reflects the administration’s “renewed focus” on MS-13, with support from “unprecedented cooperation” from domestic and international partners, ICE acting Director Thomas Homan said in a statement Thursday.

Because of its connections to illegal immigration and gruesome murders, MS-13 has become one of the administration’s favorite law enforcement targets. Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions officially designated MS-13 as a priority threat, giving Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces the green light to use a broad array of federal laws — including tax, drug and gun statutes — to “cripple the gang.”

The administration has also sought to tie the growth of MS-13 to lax immigration policies, particularly those concerning the acceptance of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) from Central American countries. In its announcement about the latest round of MS-13 arrests, ICE noted that more than a quarter of the gang members arrested had illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border as UACs.

Follow Will on Twitter

Send tips to will@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Will Racke