Republicans in the House of Representatives have introduced legislation that would designate the notorious street gang “MS-13” as a foreign terrorist organization.
The bill was introduced by Virginia Rep Bob Good. MS-13 is currently classified as Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) however, the new legislation would make the gang an FTO. This change in classification would provide the government with much broader options when prosecuting violence from gang members.
The Daily Caller reported, Good and his cosponsors believe MS-13 poses a threat to the safety and security of U.S. citizens and the national security of the country and should be designated as an FTO. The legislation comes after an MS-13 gang member was found guilty in February of killing a teenager in 2017 in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The gang operates nationwide and internationally. MS-13 not only recruits foreign nationals, but also young American citizens looking to start a life of crime. The organization has roughly 10,000 members in America, as well as thousands more abroad.
“The Biden Administration’s anti-American immigration policies have failed to prioritize the safety and security of the American people, favored illegal aliens, and created an out-of-control border crisis. This President’s open border policies have allowed MS-13 to infiltrate cities around the United States infecting American communities with violence and drugs,” Rep Good said in a statement.
