preview

Transnational Gangs And Immigration Research Paper

Good Essays

Transnational Gangs and Immigration
August 2015, 907 murders, and average of 25 murders per day committed by 13-15 year old gang members. (Transnational Gangs Part 1;Understanding the Threat, 2016) El Salvador is the epicenter of gang activity in Central America and the largest influence on gang activity in the US. Showing no respect for law enforcement, borders, and little for human life gang violence is a requirement for young teens to become members of the La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, and the 18th Street gangs. Two years of initiation culminating in at least one murder are required to obtain membership in these gangs.
Many of the leaders of the different factions of these gangs order members to commit crimes in the US. Both MS-13 and 18th Street gangs have positioned themselves in many places within US borders. The FBI reports as many as 42 states including the District of Columbia have operating cliques of MS-13. (The MS-13 Threat, 2008). MS-13 is involved in a large amount of criminal activities, ranging from car theft to murder. The gang is extremely violent, but mostly toward rival gangs which unfortunately involve innocent citizens caught in the violent crossfire. (The MS-13 Threat, 2008) The threat level is medium in the majority of the US bit is considered high in the western states, northeast, and any place where the Salvadoran immigrant population is larger. (The MS-13 Threat, 2008)
The 18th Street gang also known as Barrio 18 has become one of the largest

Get Access