Of course, in the United States where people have freedom, communities can successfully take on gangs. They can pressure the police to form anti-gang squads, they can ask the government to provide community resources, they can personally take measures to ensure that their homes--and families-- are safe from gang attacks. They can keep a loaded weapon handy, which is universally known around the world as a very effective deterrent against teenage gangs.

But no. In Latin American countries they are sooo totally helpless. What happened to their reputation for machismo? Gonna let a scrawny 16 year old terrify and boss you around? Heck even the Beverly Hillbilles knew that Granny with a shotgun was a pretty darn effective way to keep the peace!

On the diplomatic level our government, via the Department of Justice (head: Loretta Lynch) actually does offer anti gang training to police officers of other countries, including the ones sending these youth. To my knowledge it is excellent training and does not cost much. And for the several thousands of dollars that these families raise to adios to the USA couldn't they start a business? Maybe even a personal protection business. Maybe a Guardian Angels spin-off? Why are they so helpless?

Instead of a foreign policy where we throw in a few million for anti-gang training, we show them how to form community protection programs, we encourage them to assume personal protection of their homes and families---we end up budgeting nearly $100 billion per year in enforcement costs and incarceration costs for people who have no business to be here in the first place.