Gangs Harrasing Illegals

Nearly two dozen members of a Hispanic gang were arrested in Kansas this week under a federal grand jury indictment accusing them of victimizing illegal immigrants who do their business in cash and are reluctant to go to law enforcement because of their immigration status. Federal officials have long been keeping an eye on the Dodge City area, which has become a hub for drug trafficking in the Midwest because of its remote location and easy access to places like Denver, Kansas City and Oklahoma City. They say gangs have thrived in the area because police lacked resources, including Spanish-speaking officers, and gang members are able to easily blend into the growing Hispanic population.

U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said all but one of the 23 members of the Nortenos gang arrested is first- or second-generation U.S. citizens. He said they preyed on illegal immigrants who were vulnerable and unlikely to seek police protection, using violence and threats to create a climate of fear, defend the gang's reputation and territory and promote its drug trafficking activities. The gang is charged under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, which allows prosecutors to charge individual members as part of a larger criminal organization. In recent years, the act has been used to prosecute human trafficking and gang cases, including charges in 2007 against 28 members of the Crips gang in Wichita which was the first time RICO was used against gangs in Kansas.

This is one of the largest fears that come along with illegal immigration, illegal Latinos getting taken advantage of by gangs. Joining a gang is a very tempting offer to a poor male Latino trying to make a living, especially when they are alone in a foreign country. At first glance, they see the fancy cars, wads of money, and respect from everyone, however they never see a gang member retired with a house in Palm Springs. Joining a group of people that share your heritage and say they can help you is something that is hard to turn down. If the illegal immigrant turns down the gang life, it is not uncommon for the gang to harass them and exploit them like in this situation. Gang violence is something that affects many citizens in the United States and clearly it affects some non U.S. citizens as well. It is a shame that an illegal immigrant can come all the way from Mexico or further trying to find a better life only to be harassed and taken advantage of by those who claim to share the same heritage.