Homeland Security nets more than 500 gang arrests

[Eugene]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--gangarrests0801aug01,0,4544104.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

Homeland Security nets more than 500 gang arrests

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
Associated Press Writer

August 1, 2005, 12:38 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Federal authorities arrested 582 alleged gang members
over a two-week period, officials said Monday, targeting an estimated
80 violent groups they say have spawned street crimes across the
country.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff called the gangs "a
threat to our homeland security and ... a very urgent law enforcement
priority."

Investigators picked up most of the offenders between July 16 and
July 28 on immigration violations for being in the United States
illegally. Seventy-six face criminal charges, ranging from illegal
possession of a firearm to holding fraudulent documents.

<snip>

Investigators targeted members in 27 states of what they considered
to be the most violent street gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha, or
MS-13; Sure Inos; the 18th Street Gang; Latin Kings; the Mexican
Mafia; Border Brothers; Brown Pride and numerous others.

More...

[librechik]

1. damn, they skipped the most evil gang of all

ShrubCo, Inc

eternal war, eternal profit

[wli]

2. of course, go after the black/brown people

Of course, white right wing religious nuts are the ones bombing abortion clinics, which are relatively unequivocally acts of terrorism, are completely ignored.

[napi21]

3. I don't know that they're only going after black/brown, but I must say

there are 100+ "self described gangs" within 50 miles from my house! I can't say that I'm thrilled with that!

From what I can tell, most of their fights are turf battles, and if someone harms one of my group, we're gonna make 'em pay!

That kind of attitude shouldn't exist anywhere.

[atreides1]

16. That Kind of Attitude

Is currently the same one that's in the White House, and the Congress. And the name of that gang is the Republican Party.

[ConfuZed]

6. I take it you don't live in these neighborhoods infested by gangs

[wli]

9. no, I don't

What I have seen before is that gang-related police actions have in the past been racially biased. It may not be the case here after all, but it's of course my first suspicion.

[primavera]

21. It's an opportunistic excuse to circumvent due process protections

Despite its public raison d'etre of fighting terrorism, the Patriot Act has become a useful way of going after anyone law enforcement officials don't happen to like but don't have enough evidence to bring a case before a court. So we go after people for petty immigration infractions and use that as a basis for crawling up people's asses with microscopes. It's really very handy, you see, you don't have to worry any more about having probable cause or obtaining search warrants, you can completely bypass the fourth amendment this way. Doesn't have anything to do with fighting terrorism or improving national security, of course, but it's a great way to circumvent those pesky laws which would normally stand in the way of a good, thorough house-cleaning. And if a few innocents get nailed in the process, well, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette and nobody's ever going to hear about them anyway, since they're brown-skinned people and the MSM can be relied upon to not report their stories.

[Kraklen]

24. If by "neighboorhoods infested with gangs" you mean...

poor neighborhoods with large minority populations, and I suspect you do, then yup.

And this is bullshit.

[ConfuZed]

26. No I don't

I meant "neighboorhoods infested with gangs" thats all but you choose to see it a certain way I can't change your mind but make no mistake I will not allow you to speak for me on this forum.

[wellst0nev0ter]

4. So, If They Are Just Substituting For Police Work

Why don't we just divert whatever federal tax money we are giving these people to our local police? Or is sending these gang members to Gitmo too important?

[krkaufman]

5. Something seems wrong about HomeSec....

... being involved in local policing efforts unrelated to terrorism. That tells me that they're NOT focusing all their resources on the bio/nuke terror threat, our harbors, borders, etc.

[54anickel]

8. Yup, thought the same thing.

The police could have accomplished the same thing, if given the proper resources.

I'd like to know what, if any, of the extended powers offered to HS and by the Patriot Act were implemented in this effort. If none, this could have/should have been a police matter. If the were used, what happened to all those assurances that these powers would only be used to thwart terrorism?

Gangs today, protest organizations tomorrow, dissidents (however they care to define them) the next day. Slippery-slope fallacy?:shrug: Not so sure with this maladmin

[wli]

11. no slippery slope required, they're hinting at it pretty hard

[me b zola]

14. I think you got to the heart of the matter

"I'd like to know what, if any, of the extended powers offered to HS and by the Patriot Act were implemented in this effort."

~and~

"Gangs today, protest organizations tomorrow, dissidents (however they care to define them) the next day."



But people can't see past their own noses. They are willing to relinquish their civil liberties to allow the brown shirts to come in and do the policing of their communities.

Willy Norton, anyone?

[shanti]

19. gmta

slippery slope is right!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. Don't forget, and make the mistake many do, that HomeSec

is all about that... there is Customs, Coast Guard, Border Patrol, FBI, and more I am not remembering in there, what are they supposed to do? Ignore violations of Federal Law?

[primavera]

23. Well, the justification for Patriot and DHS was homeland security...

... not domestic house-cleaning of groups subjectively perceived as undesirable. Had Congress and the American people been told that the purpose of the Patriot Act had nothing to do with going after terrorists, but was really a handy set of tools for circumventing pesky legal protections getting in the way of domestic law enforcement, we might or might not have gone along with that and passed the Patriot Act. As it is, patriot Act was passed and DHS was established for the express purpose of combating terrorism and improving homeland security, it was not intended to give carte blanche to domestic law enforcement to go after people who had nothing to do with either terrorism of homeland security.

[atreides1]

17. Nothing Wrong

Not when they are most likely using portions of the Patriot Act for regular law enforcement. Remember, Bush can legally declare anyone
an enemy combatant.

And if you recall, just a few months back, the Great U.S. Reichstag gave Oberfuhrer Chertoff unprecedented authority to over rule any law, federal, state, or local.

Welcome to the land of Nazi Lite, why Lite? Because they haven't opened the death camps for the gays and non-Chiristians, yet!!!!!

But they have the time and the law on their side.

[krkaufman]

20. Yes, precisely. A line has definitely been leapt across. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

7. Any Al-Qaeda links to Latino gangs?

If not, why is the Homeland SS bothering with this shit?

[annabanana]

10. My thought exactly...n/t

[Eugene]

12. The RW press tried to play up possible MS13 terror links

a few months ago. They continue to play the
fear of terrorists coming across the Mexican border
for all it's worth.

[SoCalDem]

13. Maybe Laura's "gang outreach" is working after all

:evilgrin:

[shanti]

18. here we go....

gangs are a threat to homeland security?? this is some bullshit.

[earth mom]

22. Maybe they're afraid they'll take out the rival gang

that's in control of the entire country. You know...The RE- THUGS

:shrug:

[nolabels]

25. I feel safer already

Can't ya just feel the love thing all around :loveya:

Btw, when do they think the Viet Cong will be invading southeast Texas?

[screembloodymurder]

27. Is it illegal to be in a gang? What about Spanky and Our Gang.

Maybe these people were extremist. Definition of an extremist: Anyone that doesn't share your view.