The Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, has become synonymous with violence and crime in the United States.
But is this gang really responsible for most of the crimes, or does their fame outweigh the real facts?
The Impact of the Mara Salvatrucha in US
MS-13, which originated in Los Angeles during the 1980s by Salvadoran migrants fleeing the civil war, has been linked to acts of extreme violence in several U.S. cities.
According to the FBI, the gang has about 10,000 members in the country and operates mainly in regions such as California, New York and Maryland.
However, a recent report by the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) indicates that, although the Mara Salvatrucha is responsible for violent acts, its impact on total crime in the US may be overstated.
“Gangs like MS-13 account for a fraction of violent crime in the country, but their media notoriety amplifies their perceived threat,” the analysis explains.
Why is MS-13 being blamed so much?
The answer lies in media coverage and political discourse.
In 2017, President Donald Trump called the Mara Salvatrucha “animals” and used their existence as an argument to tighten immigration policies.
Since then, the gang has been used as an example of the dangers of irregular migration.
However, experts like Steven Dudley, author of the book “MS-13: The Making of America’s Most Notorious Gang,” argue that this narrative is disconnected from reality.
“The crimes associated with MS-13 are serious, but they do not represent a national crisis. Latino communities are often the most affected and stigmatized,” Dudley notes.
What does the Hispanic community say?
For many Hispanics in the United States, the Mara Salvatrucha represents a real problem, but also a source of stigmatization.
Not all immigrants are gang members
Ana Reyes, resident of Long Island
“It’s unfair that they use MS-13 to paint all Latinos as criminals,” he said.
Meanwhile, communities also grapple with the fear of gangs recruiting vulnerable youth.
Community programs in cities such as Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., are working to prevent teenagers from falling into the Mara Salvatrucha networks by offering educational support and job opportunities.
What nobody tells you
Buzzy
Although MS-13 is a real threat, data shows that overall crime rates have declined in the United States in recent decades.
The narrative that directly connects the gang to a national security crisis often omits this context.
Moreover, many experts agree that the solution lies not in criminalizing migrants, but in addressing the root causes of violence, such as poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in communities of origin.
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