DHS, Central American Countries Announce New Anti-Gang Measures

"Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched a zero-tolerance campaign against illegal immigrants suspected of being gang members, opting to deport them immediately rather than taking them to U.S. courts. The number of deportees doubled . . . Today, prior to departure all deportees are interviewed by a Salvadoran consulate official to confirm that they are Salvadoran, and U.S. immigration officials notify their counterparts ahead of time when a planeload of deportees is heading their way," says Marcela Sanchez in the Washington Post. "What's more, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced from San Salvador last week a new region-wide collaborative crackdown on gangs. The United States will share fingerprint databases, offer police training and help create new anti-gang units that will have the direct participation of FBI agents. Specifically for El Salvador, there will be a broad assessment of the country's best practices and options ahead by U.S. law enforcement agencies."

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