The United States Spreads Its Gangs to Central America: MS13 And Barrio 18

     MS13 and Barrio 18 are two of many gangs that were American born, American created, and that originated in the violent underbelly of American life. People fled from the civil war in El Salvador to the United States, many illegally. Some of their children, growing up in Los Angeles, joined gangs, not an uncommon event in many communities across the United States. Unlike American born gang members that commit crimes and cannot be deported, many of the children that joined gangs and grew up in the states, but were not legal residents, were deported. Once in El Salvador and other Central American countries, countries to which they had little connection, they brought with them the one thing that they were connected to; the gang. America exported to Central America MS13 and Barrio 18.

     And there, in some of the most poverty stricken countries, these gangs grew like cancer. 

    Whereas decades ago people fled the wars in Central America for the safety of the states, now people are desperately fleeing the chaos and violence gangs have created in Central America. 

     As appealing as it is to talk about crushing gangs, it is not that easy. Crushing one gang often strengthens its rivals. Gangs, gang culture, and everything that fuels it is not a problem that is going away.
     Also, exporting a problem is not the same as solving a problem. The more countries to the south of the United States are destabilized, the more people will flee to the United States, wall or no wall. Far more important than a physical structure is the need for stability, the rule of law, and economic opportunity, both within the United States and in the countries south of the United States.
      MS13 is not all of a sudden a new phenomenon that has landed on U.S. soil. It is one of many violent, pathological gangs that originated in the states and spread. Its demise will strengthen its equally pathological rivals. It should have always been unacceptable for these violent gangs to prosper and spread as they have. None of this started with MS13, and it will not end with MS13, even if this gang should disappear. The U.S. soil has been, and continues to be, fertile ground for gangs. It is time we face this ugly reality. Changing this reality is a lot more complicated than bringing down one or two gangs.
      The United States has a gang problem. The United States is wealthy enough to contain it to certain areas. In poorer countries lacking the same resources, gangs are out of control. Either way, there is no excuse for gangs to be strong enough to destabilize entire neighborhoods in the states or entire countries in Central America.