A comprehensive report by the Department of Justice reveals that the Trump administration has arrested more than 600 MS-13 gang members, the vast majority of whom are illegal aliens, since the beginning of his presidency in 2017.
Since 2016, DOJ prosecutors have charged 749 MS-13 gang members with crimes, resulting in at least more than 500 convictions. Since Trump took office, about 378 MS-13 gang members have been convicted — 37 of whom were given life sentences. Another 154 MS-13 Gang members arrested since 2017 were sentenced to at least 61 months in federal prison.
In February 2017, Trump signed an executive order that directed the federal government to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, including MS-13. As part of the order, Trump requested the DOJ work more closely with other federal agencies to take down criminal organizations.
In August 2019, Attorney General William Barr created a task force for the sole purpose of eradicating MS-13 from the U.S. with increased coordination from officials in El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.
“In 2017, the President directed the Department of Justice to go to war against MS-13, and we did just that,” Barr said in a statement.