• IN THIS SECTION

July 3, 2008

Exclusive: Will a Multi-Agency Task Force Be Effective in Combating Violent Gangs?

Michael Cutler

This Washington Times article deals with the creation of a task multi-agency task force to target violent gangs operating in the United States.While I'm gratified to see the focus of law enforcement agencies turning to combating gangs, the concept of a multi-agency approach to combating violent gangs is not an innovation and certainly this announced effort is not unique.At least 15 years ago, theViolent Gang Task Force that included various federal and local law enforcement agencies was created for the very same purpose.RICO statutes were, back then, among the most effective tools.

I am also a bit dismayed that the article appears to downplay the issue of the involvement of illegal aliens in such violent gangs.More than ten years ago I was among the first federal agents in New York toinitiate an investigation into MS-13 which, at that time, was comprised of a relatively small number of members who had demonstrated a propensity to employingextreme violence to carry out their criminal objectives.The DEA also focused on their activities because, while the amount of narcotics that they were trafficking in was relatively small, the high level of violence quickly garnered attention.

For those not familiar with MS-13, the gang has its origins in El Salvador. Its members headed north to the United States, initially "setting up shop"in Los Angeles, but quickly fanning out across the United States from coast to coast.Most of the members of MS-13 came from Latin America and now members of the Latino community born in the United States have also joined this gang.

In addition to downplaying the illegal alien issue, the article fails to adequately address the fact that many of the crimes by gangs that have large numbers of illegal aliens are immigration-related crimes.(It's a no-brainer.) Among those crimes are alien smuggling (goes hand in hand with drug smuggling), use of false identity documents, reentry after deportation and other crimes that relate back to provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Another shortcoming that was not noted in the news report was how much more effective such investigations could be if there were more special agents of ICE (Immigration and Customes Enforcement) participating in these investigations. As an INS special agent, I was able tohave a significant impact on gang and narcotics investigations when I worked with the FBI, DEA, ATF and local law enforcement agencies by making use of the various provisions of the immigration laws.For example, an illegal alien who is found to be guilty ofpossessinga firearmfacesa jail sentence of five years in federal custody.Conviction for the crime of aggravated reentry after deportation for a criminal alien can result in a period of incarceration of up to 20 years.

In addition, the involvement of ICE special agents can achieve other goals through their involvement in such multi-agency task forces.These agents can lodge detainers to make certain that when a criminal alien completes serving his criminal sentence upon conviction, that he will be summarily deported from the United States.Similarly, the special agents of ICE can also use their administrative authority to see to it that criminal aliens are placed under deportation proceedings when these aliens are not found guilty, provided, of course that these aliens are illegally present in the United States.

ICE special agents can also be instrumental in cultivating informants using the immigration laws as a huge "carrotor stick" depending on the situation, providing critical intelligence for the investigation of criminals and terrorists.

Information contained in immigration files can be of great importance in providing evidence at bail hearings as to the defendant's track record of failures to appear for immigration proceedings. This can help the judge make a more informed decision about whether to permit a defendant to post bail or to decide on how great the bail should be to make it likely that the defendant will appear for court appearances.

Few could argue against efforts by ICE to work cooperatively to help get murders, drug dealers and other pernicious criminal aliens off the streets of our nation's cities and towns.In fact, the victims of an ethnic organized gang or criminal organization are often the honest immigrants in that community.This is not only the case where Latino gangs are concerned but is, in fact, the case across the wide spectrum ofimmigrant communities from all parts of the world and of all of the various ethnic groups.

Those who purport to be advocates for "immigrant rights" should be the most vociferous proponents of having ICE participate in such task force investigations into violent gangs, who not only threaten the safety of members of the communities in the United States where they ply their "trades," but often threaten to kill the family members back home ofimmigrants who live in the United States. This is because these gangs are transnational.The gang members move easily between countries and across international borders.The well-documented failures of our government to secure our nation's borders have facilitated the ease with which these gang members can enter our country even after they are deported.This provides yet another example of the damage and violence to which our nation's open borders contribute.

Yes, I am glad to see efforts being initiated to combat violent gangs. I hope, though, that this is not simply the start of a public relations campaign but rather the initiation of an effective program.

Each of the programs that our government touts to secure borders and conduct a variety of law enforcement operations are often given macho sounding names that sound as though they were quasi military operation.Unfortunately, as time passes, all too oftenwe find that the expenditure of money and the use ofink in the media following the optimistic press conferences make the illusory nature of the efforts apparent.Perhaps these operations should all be given the same name: "Operation Back Rub!"As a father, this occurred to me by thinking about how parents often deal with a child who awakens in the night with a case ofnight terrors.We sit on the edge of our child's bed, we rub their backs and tell them whatever we think they want to hear to convince them to go back to sleep.This is good for the child, but hardly good for national security.

For too many politicians, the name of the game is to create illusions while doing little if anything to change the status quo.I wonder why David Copperfield or some other true illusionist doesn't run for President!

Family Security Matters Contributing Editor Mike Cutler is a Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies and a recognized authority who addresses the implications of immigration on national security and criminal justice. Feedback: editorialdirector@familysecuritymatters.org.

Print This E-mail This

Share It: