Some of the most violent gangs in the country are finding new recruits from among the migrant kids coming across the border, and former Drug Enforcement Administration agent Steven Peterson says that border agents aren't allowed to interview them.
"Nobody is searching these kids. Nobody is really spending any time interviewing these kids," Peterson said on
Newsmax TV's "America's Forum."
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The former DEA agent saidd that "gangs are recruiting these kids," ages 15 to 18, and some of them "are already affiliated with gangs."
Peterson said that one of the problems is that "nobody is allowed to interview them to get any identifying data."
Border Patrol sources
have said that the violent Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, gang is recruiting new members from among the illegal immigrant minors from Central America.
National Border Patrol Council member Shawn Moran told
Townhall.com that "agents' hands are tied due to the policies governing the care and lodging of juveniles, and this has allowed gang recruitment and activity to flourish amongst those being detained."
Peterson said the illegal immigrant minors are also being sent across the country.
"What civilized, industrialized nation in the world accepts undocumented immigrants in and then disperses them across the country without any identifying data, with a simple letter saying that 'on this date, report for your hearing,' which no one will pay attention to?" asked Peterson, vice president of the National Law Enforcement Speakers Bureau.
According to Judicial Watch, MS-13
gang members mostly consist of illegal immigrants from Central America with roots in El Salvador who commit crimes such as drug dealing, murder, rape, robbery, and vandalism.
Irene Garcia of Judicial Watch told Newsmax that the MS-18 gang, also known as the 18th Street Gang, is "the largest gang in Los Angeles," and she described the MS-13 gang as "one of the deadliest gangs in this country."
"These new recruits are using the phone provided by the Red Cross . . . at these shelters to then communicate and solidify their deal or their contract with these gangs," she said.
The Daily Beast reported that some of the gang members coming across the border had already been sent back to Honduras because of their gang activity with the MS-13 and MS-18 gangs.
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