Hundreds Of MS-13 Gang Members Arrested In Immigration Raids

MARYLAND — Dozens of MS-13 members in Maryland and Virginia are behind bars as part of an immigrate raid to stop the spread of violent transnational gangs nationwide. Nearly 40 reputed gang members were taken into custody in Maryland and Virginia out of a total of 267 MS-13 gang members and associates.

Dubbed "Operation Raging Bull," the operation led by ICE Homeland Security Investigations made 214 arrests in the U.S., while 53 arrests were in El Salvador. ICE officials confirmed to ABC7 that 38 arrests took place in Maryland and Virginia.

Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice officials held a press conference Thursday to discuss the nationwide effort.

"MS-13 terrorizes communities through violent crime and extortion in furtherance of its mission to rape, control and kill," Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan said at the press conference. "MS-13 maintains a sophisticated global network that supports its involvement in a wide range of criminal activities in this country and others."

The gang members were arrested for extortion, robbery, murder, human trafficking, prostitution and more. Foreign nationals arrested were from El Salvador (135), Honduras (29), Mexico (17), Guatemala (12), Ecuador (4) and Costa Rica (1). Sixty-four individuals had illegally crossed the border as unaccompanied alien children and most are now adults, officials said.

The gang was formed in Los Angeles in the 1980s by immigrants fleeing El Salvador's civil war. MS-13 is known for its brutal violence, including machete attacks and home invasions.

President Donald Trump vowed to crack down on the violence and blamed former President Barack Obama in a tweet for failed policies that have allowed gang members to cross the border at alarming rates.

See Related:

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• MS-13 Gang Members From Hyattsville Charged In Violent Racketeering Conspiracy

"Enhancing public safety goes to the core of homeland security investigation mission is," Derek Benner, the acting director of Homeland Security Investigations, said at the press conference. "By taking criminal street gang members and associates off the streets—if they are here illegally, removing them from the country—we are addressing a significant security and safety vulnerability."

There were two phases of "Operation Raging Bull." The first phase netted 53 arrests in El Salvador over an 18-month investigation, Benner said. The second phase was conducted across the U.S. between Oct. 8 and Nov. 11, which concluded in 214 MS-13 arrests nationwide.

Benner said 93 of the 214 arrests made in the U.S. were based on federal and/or state criminal charges, while the remaining 121 were arrested on administrative immigration violations. Benner said 16 of those arrested were U.S. citizens, while 198 were foreign nationals of which only five had legal status to be in the U.S.

Following this operation, ICE added six MS-13 fugitives to its list of “most wanted” individuals, including one fugitive wanted for homicide in Montgomery County, Texas, and five others wanted for their involvement in the homicide and attempted homicides of El Salvadoran police officers. All are suspected of being somewhere in the U.S., officials said.

"The biggest concern when conducting operations such as Raging Bull is public safety. The communities are living in fear. They are losing family members at very young ages, often by perpetrators who are also very young, which has been eye-opening for investigators," a press release from ICE states.

Photo: ICE