A new way to combat MS-13 and similar illegal alien gangs would be for the U.S. State Dept. to declare them foreign terrorist organizations. MS-13 meets the criteria below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._State ... anizations



Legal Criteria for Designation

(Reflecting Amendments to Section 219 of the INA in the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001)

* It must be a foreign organization.
* The organization must engage in terrorist activity, as defined in section 212 (a)(3)(B) of the INA (8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)),* or terrorism, as defined in section 140(d)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. § 2656f(d)(2)),** or retain the capability and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism.
* The organization’s terrorist activity or terrorism must threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security (national defense, foreign relations, or the economic interests) of the United States.

[edit] Legal Ramifications of Designation

* It is unlawful for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide "material support or resources" to a designated FTO. (The term "material support or resources" is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2339A(b) as "currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safehouses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel, transportation, and other physical assets, except medicine or religious materials.)
* Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances, removable from the United States (see 8 U.S.C. §§ 1182 (a)(3)(B)(i)(IV)-(V), 1227 (a)(1)(A)).
* Any U.S. financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which a designated FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

[edit] Other Effects of Designation

The United States Department of State lists the following items as additional considered beneficial effects of designation:

* "Supports our efforts to curb terrorism financing and to encourage other nations to do the same.
* "Stigmatizes and isolates designated terrorist organizations internationally.
* "Deters donations or contributions to and economic transactions with named organizations.
* "Heightens public awareness and knowledge of terrorist organizations.
* "Signals to other governments our concern about named organizations.