[House Hearing, 115 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL GANGS THROUGH INFORMATION SHARING
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
COUNTERTERRORISM
AND INTELLIGENCE
of the
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
JANUARY 18, 2018
__________
Serial No. 115-45
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
30-191 PDF WASHINGTON : 2018
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
Michael T. McCaul, Texas, Chairman
Lamar Smith, Texas Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi
Peter T. King, New York Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas
Mike Rogers, Alabama James R. Langevin, Rhode Island
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Cedric L. Richmond, Louisiana
Scott Perry, Pennsylvania William R. Keating, Massachusetts
John Katko, New York Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey
Will Hurd, Texas Filemon Vela, Texas
Martha McSally, Arizona Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey
John Ratcliffe, Texas Kathleen M. Rice, New York
Daniel M. Donovan, Jr., New York J. Luis Correa, California
Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Val Butler Demings, Florida
Clay Higgins, Louisiana Nanette Diaz Barragan, California
John H. Rutherford, Florida
Thomas A. Garrett, Jr., Virginia
Brian K. Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania
Ron Estes, Kansas
Don Bacon, Nebraska
Brendan P. Shields, Staff Director
Steven S. Giaier, General Counsel
Michael S. Twinchek, Chief Clerk
Hope Goins, Minority Staff Director
------
SUBCOMMITTEE ON COUNTERTERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE
Peter T. King, New York, Chairman
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Kathleen M. Rice, New York
Scott Perry, Pennsylvania Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas
Will Hurd, Texas William R. Keating, Massachusetts
Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi
Michael T. McCaul, Texas (ex (ex officio)
officio)
Mandy Bowers, Subcommittee Staff Director
Nicole Tisdale, Minority Staff Director/Counsel
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Statements
The Honorable Scott Perry, a Representative in Congress From the
State of Pennsylvania.......................................... 1
The Honorable Kathleen M. Rice, a Representative in Congress From
the State of New York, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on
Counterterrorism and Intelligence
Oral Statement................................................. 3
Prepared Statement............................................. 4
The Honorable Peter T. King, a Representative in Congress From
the State of New York, and Chairman, Subcommittee on
Counterterrorism and Intelligence:
Oral Statement................................................. 11
Prepared Statement............................................. 2
The Honorable Michael T. McCaul, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Texas, and Chairman, Committee on Homeland
Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 5
Prepared Statement............................................. 6
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Mississippi, and Ranking Member, Committee on
Homeland Security:
Prepared Statement............................................. 7
Witnesses
Mr. Stephen E. Richardson, Assistant Director, Criminal
Investigation Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation:
Oral Statement................................................. 8
Prepared Statement............................................. 10
Mr. Raymond Villanueva, Assistant Director in Charge,
International Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement:
Oral Statement................................................. 12
Prepared Statement............................................. 14
Mr. Richard H. Glenn, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau
of International Narcotic, U.S. Department of State:
Oral Statement................................................. 19
Prepared Statement............................................. 21
Appendix
Questions From Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson for Stephen E.
Richardson..................................................... 35
Questions From Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson for Raymond
Villanueva..................................................... 35
Questions From Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson for Richard
Glenn.......................................................... 36
COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL GANGS THROUGH INFORMATION SHARING
----------
Thursday, January 18, 2018
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:17 a.m., in
room HVC-210, Capitol Visitor Center, Hon. Scott Perry [Member
of the subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives King, Perry, Rice, and Keating.
Also present: Representative McCaul.
Mr. Perry [presiding]. Good morning. The Committee on
Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and
Intelligence will come to order. The subcommittee is meeting
today to hear testimony from the FBI, the Department of
Homeland Security, and the Department of State on Federal
coordination and information sharing vital to dismantling
transnational criminal organizations.
I would like to welcome the Members of the subcommittee and
express my appreciation to the witnesses for being here today.
The Chair now recognizes himself for an opening statement,
after which I will deliver Mr. King's opening statement.
Law enforcement officers use many weapons to fight
terrorism and crime in our streets. Some of these weapons, such
as badges, guns, and squad cars are easy to see. They are the
hallmarks of police work.
There are other weapons, however, that are harder to
identify but every bit as vital. Among these less visible
weapons the access to timely and accurate information is
oftentimes the difference between a successful investigation
and an unsolved crime.
In today's threat environment, much of the information
needed by law enforcement in the United States is generated
overseas. This is particularly true when it comes to combating
complex transnational criminal organizations that threaten our
safety here at home.
These sophisticated criminal enterprises do not stop at
borders. Instead, they extend beyond the limits imposed by
nation-states and threaten the peace and stability of multiple
countries.
The only way to defeat syndicates that operate across
international borders is through partnerships with foreign
counterparts. It is incumbent on U.S. law enforcement agencies
to work with our overseas allies to ensure that coordinated
enforcement efforts are brought to bear against the menace that
MS-13 and other TCOs pose to our Nation.
In addition to information sharing, another essential step
in fighting--in addition to information sharing, another
essential step in the fight against TCOs is to develop the
capacity of our foreign partners to defeat these networks
before they become a threat to the United States.
Today's hearing will feature testimony from representatives
of Federal agencies tasked with combating the spread of TCOs.
These entities bring various tools and capabilities to the
fight, including investigating and prosecuting TCOs, as well as
working with our foreign counterparts to strengthen and support
their efforts to disrupt and dismantle TCOs.
These witnesses include executives from the Federal Bureau
of Investigation from the Department of Justice and Homeland
Security Investigations from the Department of Homeland
Security and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs from the Department of State. All of these
agencies participate in protecting the U.S. homeland by working
to defeat TCOs overseas.
Each of these agencies is responsible for collecting,
vetting, and disseminating TCO-related information. Sharing
this overseas information with State and local domestic law
enforcement agencies enhances the ability of our men and women
in blue to keep this country safe at home from the threat posed
by TCOs.
I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. Their
understanding and vast experiences will provide the committee
with a comprehensive overview of how the cycle of international
information-sharing functions.
This overview will, in turn, afford the committee an
opportunity to identify enhancements that can be made to better
equip U.S. law enforcement at all levels to share information
in their efforts to disrupt and dismantle TCOs, both home and
abroad.
[The prepared statement of Chairman King follows:]
Statement of Chairman Peter T. King
January 18, 2018
Law enforcement officers use many weapons to fight terrorism and
crime on our streets. Some of these weapons, such as badges, guns, and
squad cars, are easy to see. They are the hallmarks of police work.
There are other weapons, however, that are harder to identify but every
bit as vital. Among these less visible weapons, access to timely and
accurate information is oftentimes the difference between a successful
investigation and an unsolved crime.
In today's threat environment, much of the information needed by
law enforcement in the United States is generated overseas. This is
particularly true when it comes to combating complex Transnational
Criminal Organizations that threaten our safety at home. These
sophisticated criminal enterprises do not stop at borders. Instead,
they extend beyond the limits imposed by nation-states and threaten the
peace and stability of multiple countries. The only way to defeat
syndicates that operate across international borders is through
partnerships with foreign counterparts.
This issue is of particular concern to the people of Long Island.
Specifically, the violent street gang MS-13, which has been designated
as a TCO, has inflicted much death and destruction in Nassau and
Suffolk Counties. The horrendous criminal actions of MS-13
disproportionately affect the youth of immigrant communities on Long
Island. In the last 14 months, the murders of 17 people in Suffolk
County alone have been linked to MS-13 violence. It is incumbent on
U.S. law enforcement agencies to work with our overseas allies to
ensure that coordinated enforcement efforts are brought to bear against
the menace that MS-13 and other TCOs pose to our Nation. In addition to
information sharing, another essential step in the fight against TCOs
is to develop the capacity of our foreign partners to defeat these
networks before they become a threat to the United States.
Today's hearing will feature testimony from representatives of
Federal agencies tasked with combating the spread of TCOs. These
entities bring various tools and capabilities to the fight, including
investigating and prosecuting TCOs as well as working with our foreign
counterparts to strengthen and support their efforts to disrupt and
dismantle TCOs. These witnesses include executives from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation from the Department of Justice, Homeland
Security Investigations from the Department of Homeland Security, and
the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs from
the Department of State. All of these agencies participate in
protecting the U.S. homeland by working to defeat TCOs overseas.
Each of these agencies is responsible for collecting, vetting, and
disseminating TCO-related information. Sharing this overseas
information with State and local domestic law enforcement agencies
enhances the ability of our men and women in blue to keep this country
safe at home from the threat posed by TCOs.
I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. Their understanding
and vast experiences will provide the committee with a comprehensive
overview of how the cycle of international information-sharing
functions. This overview will, in turn, afford the committee an
opportunity to identify enhancements that can be made to better equip
U.S. law enforcement at all levels to share information in their
efforts to disrupt and dismantle TCOs both at home and abroad.
Mr. Perry. I now recognize Ranking Member Rice for her
opening statement.
Miss Rice. Thank you, Chairman Perry for holding today's
hearing and thank you to the witnesses for your testimony
today.
In June 2017 we held a similar hearing on how we can both
combat transnational gang violence on Long Island while
empowering young people with the knowledge, support, and
resources that they need to reject gangs in our communities.
As we find ourselves here to discuss a similar topic again,
I hope that today's discussion will include a broad look at
transnational criminal organizations around the world. As we
all know, MS-13 and the 18th Street gang and rival gangs are
criminal organizations who commit brutal acts of violence and
have taken too many lives.
They, like other transnational gangs, are organizations
that revel in violence, create fear, and terrorize the
communities in which they live and operate and recruit their
members.
As the formal Nassau County district attorney, I have seen
first-hand how vicious and unrepentant these gangs are. I have
seen MS-13 and 18th Street gang members laugh at the judge as
they were sentenced to life in prison or they were deported.
So I want the record to be clear. I believe all violent
criminals should be punished to the full extent of the law. I
believe that violent criminals who are in this country
illegally should be deported and prevented from ever coming
back. I believe that dismantling violent criminal organizations
like MS-13 must be a priority for law enforcement officials and
lawmakers at all levels.
However, I also know for a fact that the vast majority of
immigrants in this country are not criminals. They are usually
the victims of crime rather than the perpetrators.
I know and understand that you cannot destroy a gang like
MS-13 without the help of immigrant communities. You need
members of the community to talk to you, provide information,
report crimes, and for that they need to trust you. They need
to know that stepping forward to help will not lead to them
being detained and deported and ripped away from their
families.
I will remind the committee and my Republican colleagues
that many of the members of MS-13 are, in fact, immigrants and
children and descendants of immigrants that have become victims
of gang threats, violence, and recruitment.
More, it is clear to me that President Trump, Attorney
General Sessions, and Republicans in Congress have sought and
continue to use the threat of MS-13 to justify their push to
build a wall on the Southern Border and round up and deport
millions of immigrants, including those whose only crime is
being in this country without paperwork.
Last week, President Trump and DHS Secretary Nielsen made
another shameful anti-immigrant decision by ending temporary
protected status for 31,000 Salvadoran TPS holders in new York,
which will send families back to a country that is overrun with
gang violence and drug trafficking.
This decision came on the heels of the Trump
administration's decision to end DACA and temporary protected
status for Haitians and Nicaraguans. Republicans have made it
clear that they are not concerned about the destabilizing
effects that such U.S. policies will have on communities like
the one that Peter King and I serve on Long Island.
On average, TPS recipients in our State have lived in the
United States for an average of 21 years. They are our
neighbors, our friends, and our co-workers. Now, I recognize
that this hearing is not about TPS, but I also recognize the
Republican-controlled Congress does not want to negotiate so I
have to use every platform to address this issue.
I yield back.
[The statement of Ranking Member Rice follows:]
Statement of Ranking Member Kathleen Rice
January 18, 2018
In June of 2017, we held a similar hearing on how we can both
combat transnational gang violence on Long Island, while empowering
young people with the knowledge, support, and resources they need to
reject gangs in our communities.
As we find ourselves here to discuss a similar topic again, I hope
that today's discussion will include a broad look at transnational
criminal organizations around the world.
As we all know, MS-13, the 18th Street Gang, and rival gangs are
criminal organizations who commit brutal acts of violence and have
taken too many lives. They, like other transnational gangs are
organizations that revel in violence, crave fear, and terrorize the
communities in which they live and operate and recruit their members.
As the former Nassau County District Attorney, I've seen first-hand
how vicious and unrepentant these gangs are. I've seen MS-13 and 18th
Street Gang members laugh at the judge as they were sentenced to life
in prison or deported.
So I want the record to be clear, I believe all violent criminals
should be punished to the full extent of the law. I believe that
violent criminals who are in this country illegally should be deported
and prevented from ever coming back. I believe that dismantling violent
criminal organizations like MS-13 must be a priority for law
enforcement officials and lawmakers at all levels.
However, I also know for a fact that the vast majority of
immigrants in this country are not criminals--they are usually the
victims of crime rather than the perpetrators.
I know and understand that you cannot destroy a gang like MS-13
without the help of immigrant communities. You need members of the
community to talk to you, provide information, report crimes--and for
that, they need to trust you.
They need to know that stepping forward to help will not lead to
them being detained and deported and ripped away from their families.
I will remind the committee and my Republican colleagues that many
of the members of MS-13 are, in fact, immigrants and children and
descendants of immigrants that have become victims of gang threats,
violence, recruitment.
More, it is clear to me that President Trump, Attorney General
Sessions, and Republicans in Congress have sought and continue to use
the threat of MS-13 to justify their push to build a wall on the
Southern Border and round up and deport millions of immigrants--
including those whose only crime is being in this country without
paperwork.
Last week, President Trump and DHS Secretary Nielsen, made another
shameful, anti-immigrant decision by ending temporary protected status
for 31,000 Salvadoran TPS holders in New York, which will send families
back to a country that is overrun with gang violence and drug
trafficking.
This decision came on the heels of the Trump administration's
decision to end DACA and temporary protected status for Haitians and
Nicaraguans.
Republicans have made it clear that they are not concerned about
the destabilizing effects that such U.S. policies will have on
communities like the ones Chairman King and I serve on Long Island.
On average TPS recipients in our State have lived in the United
States for an average of 21 years. They are our neighbors, our friends,
and our coworkers.
I recognize this hearing isn't about TPS, but I also recognize a
Republican-controlled Congress doesn't want to negotiate, so I have to
use every platform I have to address this issue.
Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentlelady.
The Chair now thanks the Chairman of the full committee,
the gentleman from Texas, Mr. McCaul.
Mr. McCaul. Thank you, Chairman Perry.
Transnational Criminal Organizations are a serious and
growing threat to the American people. They disregard the rule
of law of all nations and use their networks to smuggle drugs
and traffic human beings for sexual exploitation and slave
labor.
They resort to brutal violence and intimidation tactics to
carry out their illegal deeds. These networks of vile
individuals and gangs like MS-13 have been known to kidnap,
torture, and behead their victims. Top officials at DHS are
very alarmed by their actions.
Before becoming White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of
Homeland Security John Kelly explained to a National security
forum last July, to me personally, that one of his top concerns
is a partnership between TCOs and international terror groups.
If such alliances were formed, terrorists would have an
easier time sneaking a dirty bomb or other catastrophic weapon
and resources into the United States.
Further, in written testimony before our full committee
back in November, Acting Secretary Duke stated that TCOs are,
``bringing drugs, violence, and dangerous goods across our
borders and pose a persistent National security threat to the
United States''.
Unfortunately, some of these partnerships are starting to
take hold. Recent reports have shown that Hezbollah has been
very active in recent years with international drug cartels in
Latin America. We cannot allow such dangerous actors to gather
in our hemisphere unchallenged.
The ability of TCOs secreting terrorists and WMD into our
country is a grave threat. This committee is going to undertake
a thorough review of these possibilities so that we can prevent
them from happening. Sadly, these TCOs have an easy time
infiltrating our communities because the security of our
Southern Border is just not strong enough to stop them.
Hopefully, we will soon be able to fix that.
Legislation I introduced to strengthen border security with
new infrastructure including a wall, more boots on the ground
and new technology, was passed out of our full committee in
October.
Last week, that important legislation was incorporated into
a larger bill to fix our broken immigration system. I am
hopeful that we can pass it through the Congress and get it to
the President's desk very soon.
All three branches of Government working together is
essential in this fight, but we must also create and foster
partnerships with governments in Latin America to help
eliminate these threats from TCOs.
One of the most important lessons we learned from the 9/11
attacks is that we must effectively communicate vital
information among Federal departments and law enforcement
agencies. Doing so will save many innocent lives.
Today's witnesses represent the hardworking men and women
from FBI, ICE, and State Department, who work very hard for the
protection of their fellow Americans, and I would like to thank
each of you individuals for being here today.
Before I yield back I just want to say on a personal note
before becoming a Member of Congress I was the chief of
Counterterrorism and National Security in the Western District
of Texas in the U.S. Attorney's Office. I had the Texas and
Mexico border in my jurisdiction.
I have been dealing with this issue for quite some time,
seven terms in Congress and many years as a Federal prosecutor.
This problem has not stopped. It has gotten worse. It has not
gotten better.
It is now more of a threat. I think it cries out for action
from Congress and from the administration to finally, once and
for all, get this job done.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
[The statement of Chairman McCaul follows:]
Statement of Chairman Michael T. McCaul
January 18, 2018
Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) are a serious and
growing threat to the American people. They disregard the rule of law
of all nations and use their networks to smuggle drugs, and traffic
human beings for sexual exploitation and slave labor.
They resort to brutal violence and intimidation tactics to carry
out their illegal deeds. These networks of vile individuals, and gangs
like MS-13, have been known to kidnap, torture, and behead their
victims. The top officials at DHS are very alarmed by their actions.
Before becoming White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of Homeland
Security John Kelly explained to a National security forum last July
that one of his top concerns is a partnership between TCO's and
international terror groups.
If such alliances were formed, terrorists would have an easier time
sneaking a dirty bomb or other catastrophic weapons and resources into
the United States.
Further, in written testimony before our full committee back in
November, Acting Secretary Duke stated that TCO's are ``bringing drugs,
violence, and dangerous goods across our borders . . . they pose a
persistent National security threat to the United States.''
Unfortunately, some of these partnerships are starting to take
hold. Recent reports have shown that Hezbollah has been very active in
recent years with international drug cartels in Latin America.
We cannot allow such dangers to gather in our hemisphere
unchallenged.
The ability of TCO's secreting terrorists and WMD into our country
is a grave threat. And this committee is going to undertake a thorough
review of these possibilities so that we can prevent them from
happening. Sadly, these TCO's have an easy time infiltrating our
communities because the security of our Southern Border is just not
strong enough to stop them. Hopefully, we will soon be able to fix
that.
Legislation I introduced to strengthen border security with new
infrastructure including a wall, more boots on the ground, and new
technology, was passed out of our full committee in October.
Last week, that important legislation was incorporated into a
larger bill to fix our broken immigration system.
I am hoping we can pass it through Congress and get it to the
President's desk very soon. All three branches of Government working
together is essential in this fight, but we must also create and foster
partnerships with governments in Latin America to help eliminate
threats from TCO's.
One of the most important lessons we learned from the 9/11 attacks
is that we must effectively communicate vital information among Federal
departments and law enforcement agencies. Doing so will save many
innocent lives.
Today's witnesses represent hardworking men and women from the FBI,
ICE, and the State Department, who work very hard for the protection of
their fellow Americans. I'd like to thank each of you for being here.
Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. Other Members of
the committee are reminded that opening statements may be
submitted for the record.
[The statement of Ranking Member Thompson follows:]
Statement of Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson
January 18, 2018
This hearing is focused on Federal information sharing related to
combating transnational gangs and criminal organizations, but given the
recent antics from the White House I cannot address this topic in a
vacuum.
President Trump began his campaign with an attack on immigrants and
continues to use his administration to advance an agenda that is based
on racial and ethnic bias.
One of his first actions as President was a travel ban from
majority Muslim countries.
Last fall, Trump ended the Deferred Action Childhood Arrival
program, upending the lives of many young immigrants, who have only
known the United States as their home.
On January 8, the Trump administration made a decision to cancel
the Temporary Protected Status for people from El Salvador, mere months
after the same decision was made regarding those that have sought
shelter and compassion in the U.S. from Haiti and Nicaragua.
This week, the Trump administration released a misleading report,
which purports that foreign-born individuals commit terror at very high
rates.
The data in the report perpetuates a myth that all immigrants are a
threat and a danger to our communities and country.
The report is yet another propaganda tool by the Trump
administration consisting of falsehoods and half-truths to support its
narrow-minded policies.
President Trump is becoming more and more comfortable openly
stoking xenophobia to garner support for his misguided immigration and
border security plans.
Republicans in Congress seemingly agree with President Trump, as
they are silent when his administration spews misinformation, turn a
blind eye to his despicable decisions TPS and Dreamers, and refuse to
denounce the vile remarks he has made about immigrants from Latin
American, African, and Middle Eastern countries.
Republican Members of Congress, some of whom serve on this
committee, recently scrambled to justify a string of heartless actions
by the Trump administration all of which are in support of his border
wall.
Those who allege rampant exploitation of our borders and
immigration system by transnational gangs like MS-13 often fail to
acknowledge the hundreds of millions of immigrants that reside legally
and peacefully in our country.
After 1 year, it has become crystal clear that President Trump does
not understand how important immigrant communities are to the history,
makeup, and future of our country.
We are left to wonder whether many Republican Members of Congress
actually agree with Trump or are simply afraid to hold him accountable.
The committee has examined transnational gangs in the past,
including a subcommittee field hearing on MS-13 in Long Island, New
York, last summer.
However, this administration and Republicans have focused solely on
the threat from MS-13, while Democrats acknowledge that there are a
wide range of threats posed by transnational gangs and TCOs, not just
MS-13.
I want to be clear, I remain committed to protecting our homeland
from transnational criminal threats and activities such as murder,
assault, human trafficking, money laundering, and cyber crime, as well
as drug trafficking.
However, I am not willing to give President Trump a blank check to
carry out his dangerous, un-American policy goals.
Mr. Perry. We are pleased to have a distinguished panel of
witnesses before us today on this important topic. All the
witnesses are reminded that their written testimony will be
submitted for the record.
Our first witness is Mr. Stephen E. Richardson, the
assistant director for the Criminal Investigative Division of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Richardson joined the
FBI as a special agent in 1996. He has worked with the bureau
in Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, and several stints at
headquarters.
Throughout his career, he has specialized in the
investigation of white-collar crime, public corruption, hate
crime, violent crime, gang matters, and counterterrorism. Since
April 2016 Mr. Richardson has served as assistant director of
the Criminal Investigation Division with oversight of all FBI
criminal matters.
Thank you for being here today and--does he recognize
individually or all? OK. Well, thank you for being here today
and we are going to recognize you individually.
So you can begin with your testimony, Mr. Richardson.
STATEMENT OF STEPHEN E. RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR,
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION, FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION
Mr. Richardson. Representative Perry, Chairman McCaul,
Ranking Member Rice, and Members of the committee, I would like
to thank each of you for inviting me here today to discuss this
very important issue. My name is Steve Richardson and I am the
assistant director for the FBI's Criminal Investigative
Division.
The issues that we are going to talk about today fall under
my leadership at the FBI. The FBI is dedicated to defeating
those transnational organized crime groups referred to as TOC
groups, which pose the greatest threat to our National and
economic security.
To combat the on-going threat posed by these groups, the
FBI has a long-established TOC program. The FBI uses the
Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act to expand
criminal accountability for a number of predicate offenses and
to expand a single offense across multiple members of a
criminal enterprise.
Utilizing a multi-pronged approach to target a variety of
criminal activities and impact the group's financial stability,
the FBI is able to disrupt or dismantle the entire enterprise,
not just a few key people.
The FBI leverages trusted relationships both domestically
and internationally to combat and influence the reach of these
transnational criminal enterprises. The FBI has long been a
proponent of the task force model, and in 1992 we stood up the
first Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, specifically to
address transnational gangs.
The mission of these task forces is to fully integrate our
State and local partners to address threats posed by violent
criminal gangs in communities across our great country. This
involves working with State and local task force officers,
commonly referred to as TFOs, who have direct knowledge of the
criminal activities occurring within their specific
jurisdictions.
The collaboration of FBI special agents and local law
enforcement creates a comprehensive approach utilizing both
State and Federal statutes to address these violent gangs from
top to bottom.
The FBI currently operates and provides oversight to 169 of
these particular task forces comprised of nearly 800 special
agents, 1,400 TFOs, and 58 other Federal law enforcement
partners in all of the FBI's 56 field offices.
Collectively these task forces average approximately 5,100
arrests of violent criminal gang members annually and have
averaged over 2,000 seizures of firearms in each of the past 2
years. Our ultimate goal and the goal of each task force is to
have a positive effect on the communities by disrupting and
dismantling violent criminal organizations.
On the international front, the FBI's Transnational Anti-
gang Task Forces, we refer to those at TAGs, work with
international partners to target transnational gangs, both
domestically and internationally.
The TAG program was created through cooperation between the
FBI and the U.S. Department of State in El Salvador, Guatemala,
and Honduras and is responsible for the investigation of the
MS-13 gang and other violent transnational gangs such as the
18th Street gang.
The mission of the TAG is to conduct gang enforcement
operations and gather actionable strategic intelligence for
domestic use by our Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Forces and
to further disseminate this information to U.S. law enforcement
partners.
Recently, the TAG has conducted a coordinated arrest
operation in all three countries in the Northern Triangle,
targeting both MS-13 and 18th Street, resulting in the arrest
of 754 violent gang members. The arrest also led to the seizure
of multiple items of evidence which are currently being
exploited for their intelligence value.
Apart from our task forces, the FBI's Criminal
Investigative Division actively participates in multi-agency
intelligence entities, such as the National Gang Intelligence
Center, Special Operations Division, and Organized Crime Drug
Enforcement Task Force or OCDETF Fusion Center.
Although vetting and possible arrest of individuals at the
border is primarily a function of the Department of Homeland
Security, the FBI makes every effort to gather and share
intelligence on a timely basis related to the movement and
recruitment of gang members prior to and upon entry into the
United States.
Information sharing is critical to fulfilling this
responsibility and the FBI is dedicated to improving
communication with our partners. Please know we will continue
to direct tremendous resources and effort to targeting,
investigating, prosecuting, and dismantling these transnational
criminal gangs.
Chairman McCaul, Chairman King, Representative Perry,
Ranking Member Rice, and other Members of the committee, I
thank you again for having me here today. I am honored to
represent the FBI and the fine men and women of our
organization, and I look forward to answering your questions.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Richardson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Stephen E. Richardson
January 18, 2018
Good morning Chairman McCaul, Chairman King, Ranking Member Rice,
and Members of the committee. Thank you for this opportunity to discuss
the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) efforts to combat the
transnational gang threat and the FBI's use of task forces.
The FBI is dedicated to eliminating transnational organized crime
(TOC) groups that pose the greatest threat to the National and economic
security of the United States. Some TOC groups can be hierarchies,
clans, networks, or cells, and may evolve into other structures. The
depth and financial stability of these organizations often allow them
to continue long after key members are removed. Therefore, the FBI
targets entire organizations responsible for a variety of criminal
activities. TOC groups are independent associations that operate by
illegal means across borders, and many of these associations encompass
both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. With the increase of
technology available around the world, TOC groups are more commonly
incorporating cyber techniques into their illicit activities.
To combat the on-going threat posed by these groups, the FBI has a
long-established transnational organized crime program dedicated to
eliminating the criminal enterprises that pose the greatest threat to
America. The FBI uses the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt
Organizations (RICO) Act to target entire criminal organizations and to
address the full extent of the criminal conduct by the leaders,
members, and associates of those organizations. Unlike typical
investigations, which target a single criminal act, this multi-pronged
approach allows the FBI to disrupt or dismantle the entire enterprise.
The FBI leverages political and law enforcement relationships
domestically and abroad to combat the influence and reach of these
organized crime groups due to the transnational nature of these
criminal enterprises.
The FBI also participates in selecting TOC groups to appear on the
Department of Justice's Top International Criminal Organizations Target
(TICOT) List, and contributes to the Treasury Department's Office of
Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) efforts to pursue criminal enterprises.
Further, to pool resources and leverage technical and investigative
expertise, the FBI participates in many Organized Crime Task Forces
consisting of State and local law enforcement partners in the United
States.
Specific to transnational gangs, the FBI established the first Safe
Streets Violent Gang Task Force (SSVGTF) in 1992. The mission of our
SSVGTFs is to fully integrate our State and local partners to address
threats posed by violent criminal gangs that have a destructive effect
in our communities across the country. A key component of this success
involves the utilization of Task Force Officers (TFOs) who have direct
knowledge of the criminal activity occurring in their jurisdictions.
This collaboration of FBI Special Agents and local law enforcement
creates a comprehensive approach to addressing these violent gangs from
top to bottom utilizing the Enterprise Theory of Investigation (ETI).
ETIs are intelligence-driven investigations which seek to identify the
hierarchy of a criminal enterprise and the scope of their criminal
activity. The SSVGTF can then utilize State and Federal statutes to
address all elements of the violent criminal organization. The success
of the SSVGTFs is directly related to the ability to cross-
programmatically leverage all resources and expertise of the FBI.
The FBI currently operates and provides oversight to 169 SSVGTFs
comprised of nearly 800 Special Agents, 1,400 TFOs, and 58 other
Federal law enforcement partners in all of the FBI's 56 field offices.
Collectively, these SSVGTFs average approximately 5,100 arrests of
violent criminal gang members annually. Additionally, SSVGTFs have
averaged over 2,000 seizures of firearms in each of the past 2 years.
Although the numbers are impressive, the ultimate goal of all SSVGTFs
is to have a positive effect on communities by disrupting and
dismantling the violent criminal organizations that exist within them.
In addition to our domestic task forces, the FBI's Transnational
Anti-Gang Task Forces (TAGs) continue to work with international
partners to eradicate transnational gangs domestically and
internationally. The TAG program was first created in 2007 in El
Salvador through the cooperation between the FBI and the U.S.
Department of State. The TAG expanded to Guatemala and Honduras in 2009
and 2011, respectively. The TAG is currently comprised of six FBI
Special Agents and 120 vetted police officers. Each TAG is a fully
operational unit responsible for the investigation of MS-13 and other
violent transnational gangs, such as 18th Street. The focus of the TAG
is to conduct gang enforcement operations and gather actionable,
strategic intelligence for domestic use by the SSVGTFs and
dissemination to U.S. law enforcement partners.
Additional valuable intelligence provided by the TAG include:
Affiliations with other violent criminal gangs; associations with drug
cartels; and illicit activity, such as human trafficking and firearms
trafficking. Recently, the TAG conducted a coordinated transnational
gang arrest operation in all three countries. The operation targeted
members of both MS-13 and 18th Street, resulting in the arrests of 754
MS-13 and 18th Street gang members. The arrests also led to the seizure
of multiple items of evidence, which are being exploited for their
intelligence value.
The FBI utilizes a comprehensive approach combining intelligence
with operations to more effectively combat gang violence. Apart from
our task forces, the FBI has numerous analysts and agents dedicated to
studying the threats posed by MS-13 and other transnational criminal
gangs via the National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC). NGIC is a
multi-agency intelligence entity that supports law enforcement agencies
through timely and accurate information sharing and strategic/tactical
analysis of Federal, State, and local law enforcement intelligence.
NGIC is co-located at FBIHQ with the Safe Streets Gang Unit to further
enhance integration of intelligence and operations. Additionally, the
FBI's Criminal Investigative Division (CID) participates in the Special
Operations Division (SOD) which is a multi-agency intelligence center
wherein the FBI is one of over 30 partners. The primary focus of SOD is
to identify and target command-and-control communications of those
criminal organizations that operate across regional, National, and
international boundaries and to facilitate de-confliction and
coordination of law enforcement investigations.
In addition to SOD, the FBI participates in the Organized Crime
Drug Enforcement Task Force's (OCDETF) Fusion Center (OFC); this
collaborative integrated center is a multi-agency operational
intelligence center that provides law enforcement with analytical
resources, case de-confliction, and information sharing to develop the
most complete intelligence picture of targeted drug trafficking
organizations and other complex criminal organizations. The OFC brings
together 112 datasets from 21 separate Federal and international
agencies, along with open-source information, to generate intelligence
products for FBI investigations. Furthermore, the FBI continues to be a
vital participant in scores of OCDETF investigations that are
countering TCOs and Transnational Gangs, like MS-13. In October 2017,
the Attorney General explicitly directed that MS-13 be a priority of
the multi-agency OCDETF Program, authorizing and encouraging
investigative agencies and prosecutors to leverage OCDETF's funding,
infrastructure, and other resources to target MS-13.
Although the vetting and possible arrest of individuals at the
border is primarily a function of the Department of Homeland Security,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the FBI makes every effort to
gather intelligence related to the movement and recruitment of these
gang members prior to and upon entry into the United States.
Information sharing with our partners is critical to fulfilling this
responsibility, and the FBI is continually working to improve the way
in which we and our partners communicate. Please know we will continue
to dedicate tremendous resources and efforts to targeting,
investigating, prosecuting, and dismantling these transnational
criminal gangs.
Chairman McCaul, Chairman King, Ranking Member Rice, and Members of
the committee, thank you again for this opportunity to discuss the
FBI's efforts to eradicate the threat posed by transnational gangs. I
look forward to answering any questions you may have.
Mr. King [presiding]. Thank you, Mr. Richardson.
First of all, let me express my regret for not being here
on time. We had a meeting of the Intelligence Committee, which
went over time. But I want to thank all the witnesses for their
testimony up to now.
I want to thank Mr. Perry for filling in for me. I am sure
he did a far better job than I would have. Of course thank the
Ranking Member for her support in putting this hearing
together.
So thank you, Mr. Richardson.
Our second witness now is Mr. Raymond Villanueva, the
assistant director for International Operations with Homeland
Security Investigations at U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement. He began his law enforcement career in 1994 with
the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Since joining Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mr.
Villanueva has served in numerous key positions, including
group supervisor for the Financial Crimes Asset Forfeiture and
Removal Group from Buffalo, New York, section chief of the
Illicit Finance and Proceeds Crime Unit in Washington, DC,
assistant special agent in charge for the HSI San Juan office
and most recently as a deputy assistant director for HSI
international operations.
Mr. Villanueva has more than 22 years of law enforcement
experience.
Let me just say that with the situation we have in Long
Island with MS-13, HSI has been invaluable. Through you thank
all of them for the great job they are doing in conjunction
with the FBI. It has just been, again, phenomenal cooperation
and also working with the local police in Suffolk County and
Nassau County. It has been extraordinary. So I thank you.
Mr. Villanueva, you are now recognized for your testimony.
STATEMENT OF RAYMOND VILLANUEVA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN CHARGE,
INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS, U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS
ENFORCEMENT
Mr. Villanueva. Thank you, Chairman King. Mr. Perry, thank
you for starting the hearing and Ranking Member Rice, and
distinguished Members. Thank you for the opportunity to appear
before you today to discuss U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations with efforts to
investigate, disrupt, and dismantle transnational criminal
organizations or TCOs, to include violent gangs in the United
States and abroad.
HSI utilizes its broad legal authorities to investigate
immigration and customs violations across several programmatic
areas, including investigating and dismantling TCOs and gangs.
During the last two decades, transnational organized crime
has expanded dramatically, which poses a significant threat to
National security.
We take this threat very seriously and target TCOs at every
critical location in the cycle by utilizing a layered approach
that is internationally by pushing our borders out in
cooperation with foreign counterparts where transnational
criminal and terrorist organizations operate at our Nation's
border, in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, CBP, where the transportation cells attempt to
exploit America's legitimate trade, travel, and transportation
systems and in cities throughout the United States where
criminal organizations earn substantial profits off their
illicit activities.
As of December 28, 2017 we maintain over 100 open
investigations targeting MS-13 members and their criminal
organization throughout all the United States and abroad by
working with our law enforcement partners, including those in
countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
Without our information sharing and partnering with our
Federal, State, local and foreign law enforcement partners, HSI
would not be nearly as successful at battling MS-13 and other
gangs.
In response to the gang epidemic in 2005, ICE initiated
Operation Community Shield, which combines HSI and Enforcement
and Removal Operations, ERO, expansive criminal and civil
enforcement authorities, as well as our partnerships with law
enforcement stakeholders, domestically and abroad.
Through this platform, HSI executes on the gang initiative,
including specialized urban response gang enforcement, known as
search operations. Since inception, HSI and its partner
agencies have made over 60,000 criminal and administrative
arrests of gang leaders, members, and associates, including
more than 7,900 MS-13s.
HSI's most recent search operation, Project New Dawn, the
largest gang search to date, resulted in 1,378 arrests. At the
same time, we pursue domestic criminal investigations. We
continue to push the borders out by capitalizing on our
international partnerships with foreign law enforcement
officials.
This is accomplished by our attache network located in 67
offices around the world. Our attaches leverage several key
international partnerships, to include the Transnational
Criminal Investigative Units, the TCIUs, and Operation CITADEL
to identify potential bad actors along the illicit pathways
while exploiting available information with the goal of
identifying a known gang posing a threat to the United States.
HSI also leverages information-sharing capabilities through
the use of several key initiatives, some of which I would like
to highlight briefly. The Visa Security Program, through this
program we partner with CBP and Department of State by
deploying trained special agents to high-risk visa-issuing
posts to identify and investigate potential terrorist and
criminal threats before they reach the United States.
The Trade Transparency Units, the TTUs are designed to
aggressively target organizations and individuals involved in
trade-based money laundering and also those involved in
contraband smuggling and customs fraud. All TTU foreign
partners, 16 today, recognize the value of information sharing.
Last but not least, the Biometric Identification Migrant
Alert Program, what we call BITMAP. This program helps provide
infrastructure and capability for host governments to collect
biometric data on individuals they encounter.
We and CBP's National targeting center then share
information back with our foreign partners. Through this
process we are able to track movement toward the United States,
take joint action with partner nations along the route and
deter human smuggling through South and Central America. BITMAP
is deployed to 14 countries.
These operational endeavors would not have been possible
without the cooperation of our Federal, State, local, and
foreign law enforcement partners, including the support
provided by the Department of State through its country team
and their Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs.
Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you
today and for your continued support of ICE and our law
enforcement mission. I am looking forward to answering any
questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Villaneuva follows:]
Prepared Statement of Raymond Villanueva
January 18, 2018
Chairman King, Ranking Member Rice, and distinguished Members:
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the
mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), its efforts
to identify, disrupt, and dismantle transnational criminal
organizations (TCOs), to include transnational gangs, drug cartels, and
smugglers, and its information-sharing initiatives dedicated to
combatting the aforementioned threats. ICE enforces approximately 400
Federal laws governing border control, customs, trade, and immigration
to promote homeland security and public safety. With more than 20,000
employees and more than 400 offices across the United States and in 50
countries, the men and women of ICE execute our mission humanely,
professionally, and always in accordance with the law. ICE has three
operational directorates: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),
Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and the Office of the
Principal Legal Advisor. As a senior executive of ICE/HSI, I serve as
the assistant director of ICE/HSI International Operations.
As the largest investigative component in the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), ICE/HSI protects U.S. borders by conducting
multi-faceted, international law enforcement operations, and by
partnering with foreign and domestic counterparts to combat criminal
organizations and prevent terrorist activities.
ICE/HSI International Operations has a network of over 400
personnel, including over 180 special agents deployed to 67 attache
offices in 50 countries, who conduct investigations against TCOs,
terrorist, and other criminal organizations that threaten our National
security. ICE/HSI leverages its international footprint and
partnerships to disrupt and dismantle TCOs that seek to exploit
America's legitimate trade, travel, and financial systems, and enforces
U.S. customs and immigration laws at and beyond our Nation's borders to
prevent threats from entering the United States.
ICE/HSI manages several strategic/information sharing initiatives,
which include:
Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU)
Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert
Program (BITMAP)
Visa Security Program (VSP)
Trade Transparency Units (TTUs)
HSI, domestically and abroad, focuses on critical investigative
areas, which include:
National security
Counter-proliferation of arms and controlled technology
Human smuggling and trafficking
Financial crimes
Child exploitation
Commercial fraud and intellectual property
Anti-Gang Enforcement
Narcotics
Identity and Benefit Fraud
Worksite Enforcement
Cyber
Human Rights Violators and War Crimes.
ICE/ERO identifies, arrests, and removes aliens who present a
danger to National security or are a risk to public safety, as well as
those who enter the United States illegally, or otherwise undermine the
integrity of U.S. immigration laws and border control efforts. ERO
upholds America's immigration laws at, within, and beyond its borders
through efficient enforcement and removal operations. ERO also develops
investigative leads and provides support in locating and arresting
foreign nationals wanted for crimes committed abroad who are now at-
large in the United States.
ERO removal operations require complex coordination, management,
and facilitation efforts to successfully remove or return aliens from
the United States to their country of origin. ERO has enforcement
officers strategically deployed to 19 locations around the world and
leverages resources available through foreign law enforcement partners,
including INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and the HSI Attache corps.
combatting transnational criminal organizations
ICE utilizes its broad legal authorities to investigate immigration
and customs violations, including those related to export control,
human rights abuses, narcotics, weapons and contraband smuggling,
financial crime, cyber crime, human trafficking and smuggling, child
exploitation, intellectual property theft, transnational gangs,
immigration document and benefit fraud, and worksite enforcement. ICE
is grateful for continued Congressional support that allows ICE to
maintain critical operations at home and abroad and increase our
efforts to target and combat dangerous transnational gangs and other
criminal organizations.
During fiscal year 2017, ICE investigations led to the disruption
or dismantlement of TCOs with more than 32,958 criminal arrests,
including arrests of more than 4,818 transnational gang members. ICE
also seized 981,586 pounds of narcotics, made 1,205 seizures for
violations of U.S. export laws and regulations, and seized nearly $307
million in currency and monetary instruments. Additionally, ICE
identified and assisted 518 human trafficking victims and more than 904
child exploitation victims.
During the last two decades, transnational organized crime has
expanded dramatically in size, scope, and impact, which poses a
significant threat to National security. ICE takes very seriously this
threat, and targets TCOs at every critical location in the cycle:
Internationally, in cooperation with foreign counterparts, where
transnational criminal and terrorist organizations operate; at our
Nation's physical border and ports of entry, in coordination with U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), where the transportation cells
attempt to exploit America's legitimate trade, travel, and
transportation systems; and in cities throughout the United States,
where criminal organizations earn substantial profits off their illicit
activities.
As directed by the President's Executive Order 13773, Enforcing
Federal Law with Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and
Preventing International Trafficking, ICE will continue to give a high
priority and devote sufficient resources to dismantling TCOs and
subsidiary organizations. ICE will continue to focus on cooperative
work with other Federal agencies, as well as with foreign counterparts,
by sharing intelligence and law enforcement information when
appropriate and permitted by law.
joint task forces
In 2014, the Department announced its new Unity of Effort
Initiative and directed our Department-wide Southern Border and
Approaches Campaign (SBAC) Plan. The SBAC is part of a comprehensive
security strategy designed to unify efforts across DHS components to
address threats specifically associated with terrorism, illicit market-
driven flows, and illegal migration across our Southern Border and
Approaches. In furtherance of the SBAC, the Department commissioned
three Joint Task Forces (JTFs) in November 2014. The three Joint Task
Forces, JTF-East (JTF-E), JTF-West (JTF-W), and JTF-Investigations
(JTF-I), are responsible for establishing operational priorities and
synchronizing capabilities in order to achieve SBAC objectives.
Two of the JTFs, JTF-E and JTF-W, are geographically focused task
forces that concentrate on the southern land and maritime borders and
approaches to the United States all the way to Central and South
America. JTF-I is a ``functional'', multi-component task force that
employs National Case Management to identify and prioritize top TCOs
affecting homeland security, manage investigations and operations to
dismantle them, and identify weaknesses or gaps in our practices,
technology, etc.
To address these gaps, JTF-I created and implemented HOMECORT
(Homeland Criminal Organization Target), the DHS-wide process for
identifying and prioritizing the top criminal networks affecting
homeland security.
In order to manage and unify U.S. Government efforts against these
HOMECORT criminal networks, JTF-I developed three complementary
processes:
1. National Case Management to manage, integrate and support all
the investigations and operations related to the targeted
criminal network;
2. Comprehensive Criminal Network Analysis to provide knowledge of
the criminal network; and
3. Integrated Action Planning to establish the business rules for
conducting National Case Management and producing Comprehensive
Criminal Network Analysis.
Through the sharing and fusing of each other's information, these
JTF-I processes allow DHS components to:
Identify and prioritize the top criminal networks impacting
homeland security;
Tie together and manage all the investigations, operations,
arrests, and seizures (covering multiple countries,
jurisdictions, areas of responsibility and programs) related to
all the activities (smuggling, money laundering, corruption,
etc.) of a criminal network (see complementary processes
below);
Move toward a complex common goal through a formal
integrated action planning process.
Since its inception, JTF-I's interagency delegates managed and
supported the targeting of 21 HOMECORT criminal networks, comprised of
more than a thousand criminal investigations. To date, 13 of those
networks were dismantled to the point they no longer threaten homeland
security. The networks include money launderers, human smugglers, sex
traffickers, drug smugglers, bulk cash smugglers, and weapons
smugglers. The remaining HOMECORT-designated criminal networks continue
to be the targets of active criminal investigations.
Another example of a successful joint task force model is the
Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) initiative. BEST teams
are ICE-led, multiagency task forces that target illicit movement of
people and contraband through border areas. Other DHS entities,
particularly CBP and the United States Coast Guard, participate. There
are 38 BEST teams on the U.S.-Canada border and U.S.-Mexico border.
Canadian and Mexican (multiagency) law enforcement partners work
directly with DHS and other U.S. counterparts on investigative and
interdiction missions. Canadian officials are often cross-designated as
U.S. law enforcement (U.S. Code: Title 19) to promote full sharing of
law enforcement information. These units are housed on the U.S. side of
the border. In fiscal year 2017, the BEST teams initiated 4,034
investigations and effected 4,967 criminal arrests.
national gang unit
The National Gang Unit (NGU) is a critical part of ICE's mission to
bring the fight to transnational criminal gangs. The NGU identifies and
develops intelligence on gang membership, associations, activities, and
international movements. It also deters and disrupts gang operations by
tracing and seizing cash, weapons, and other assets derived from
illicit activities.
In 2005, ICE initiated Operation Community Shield, an international
law enforcement initiative that combines ICE's expansive statutory and
civil enforcement authorities to combat the growth and proliferation of
transnational criminal street gangs, prison gangs, and outlaw
motorcycle gangs throughout the United States. With assistance from
State, local, Tribal, and foreign law enforcement partners, the
initiative helps ICE locate, investigate, prosecute, and where
applicable, immediately remove gang members from our neighborhoods and
ultimately from the United States.
Operation Community Shield has resulted in the criminal and
administrative arrests of nearly 60,000 gang leaders, members, and
associates since its inception. Among those arrests, Community Shield
operations have resulted in the criminal and administrative arrests of
over 7,800 leaders, members, and associates of Mara Salvatrucha-13 (MS-
13), the international criminal street gang.
In 2012, ICE worked with the Treasury Department Office of Foreign
Assets Control (OFAC) to designate MS-13 as a TCO, the first criminal
street gang so designated. As a result of the designation, any property
or property interests in the United States, or in the possession or
control of U.S. persons in which MS-13 has an interest, are blocked. In
addition, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions
with MS-13 and are subject to civil monetary penalties up to $250,000
and imprisonment up to 20 years.
In 2016, ICE utilized the 2012 OFAC designation to develop and
implement a new strategy targeting MS-13. ICE recognizes that TCOs need
funding to maintain and expand their criminal organization and has been
successfully identifying, exploiting, and disrupting MS-13's global
financial networks. Part of ICE's new strategy is to address the
threats posed by MS-13 in the United States and at their command-and-
control structure in El Salvador simultaneously. Since January 2016,
ICE has been deploying special agents to El Salvador to work with our
host country law enforcement partners to build their financial
investigative capacity to combat MS-13 and identify MS-13's financial
networks within El Salvador. In addition, the deployment allows the
free flow of actionable intelligence between ICE and our host country
law enforcement partners.
In 2017, ICE worked with our DHS partners to form a departmental
MS-13 Working Group, to include ICE, CBP, U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Department of Justice's Bureau of
Prisons (BOP). The DHS MS-13 Working Group was formed to share
intelligence, bridge intelligence gaps, eliminate redundancies, enhance
collaboration, and provide visibility to all DHS entities involved in
the fight against MS-13. The ultimate goal of the DHS MS-13 Working
Group is to develop and implement a DHS enterprise enforcement strategy
to disrupt and dismantle MS-13's global criminal networks.
As of December 28, 2017, ICE maintains 107 open investigations
targeting MS-13 members and their criminal organizations globally,
including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, the District
of Columbia, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, California,
Washington, and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras,
and El Salvador through Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
(RICO), Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR), and criminal
conspiracy prosecutions. Without information sharing and partnering
with our Federal, State, local, and foreign law enforcement partners,
ICE would not be nearly as successful at battling MS-13 and other
gangs.
law enforcement information-sharing efforts
In addition to leveraging domestic assets, ICE uses its
strategically deployed personnel around the globe to use established
relationships with host country law enforcement officials and
mechanisms such as Customs Mutual Assistance Agreements (CMAAs) to
share information and further its investigations. Mutual Legal
Assistance Treaties (MLATs) are also invaluable instruments in
obtaining and receiving international legal assistance, including
evidence, for criminal investigations and prosecutions.
ICE International Operations also partners with TCIUs and
international task forces in 12 countries around the world. TCIUs are
comprised of foreign law enforcement officials, customs officers,
immigration officers, and prosecutors who receive ICE training and
undergo a strict vetting process to ensure that shared information and
operational activities are not compromised. Partnering with these TCIUs
enables ICE to promote direct action via information sharing and
investigative leads while respecting the sovereignty of the host
country and cultivating international partnerships.
Aligned with the President's Strategy in Combatting Transnational
Organized Crime, TCIUs identify targets, collect evidence, share
intelligence, and facilitate the prosecution of TCOs both in-country
and in the United States. These efforts, which often occur thousands of
miles from the U.S. borders, essentially act as an outer layer of
security for the United States.
Another ICE program, BITMAP, helps provide infrastructure and
capability for host governments to collect biometric data on
individuals they encounter. This information is shared with U.S. law
enforcement and the intelligence community; DHS in turn provides
information back to these countries about these individuals. Through
this process, ICE is able to track movement toward the United States,
take joint action with partner nations along the route, and deter human
smuggling through South and Central America. Comparisons of biometric
data through BITMAP serve to identify criminal persons, wanted subjects
(including international fugitives), and known or suspected terrorists.
BITMAP is currently deployed to 14 countries, with near-term plans to
expand to two additional countries.
ICE also leverages its information-sharing capabilities through the
use of the Visa Security Program (VSP) and Trade Transparency Units
(TTU). VSP deploys trained ICE special agents abroad to high-risk visa
activity posts to identify and investigate potential terrorist and
criminal threats before they reach the United States. VSP contributes
to both counter-flow and counter-network capabilities, as well as
providing support for intelligence, interdiction, and engagement. VSP
special agents work alongside Department of State Consular Officers to
provide real-time feedback on visa applicants prior to visa
adjudication. VSP agents receive referrals based on automated screening
of U.S. visa applicants conducted by ICE, in cooperation with CBP.
The core mission of the TTU is to aggressively target criminal
organizations and individuals involved in trade-based money laundering
(TBML) but also those perpetrating contraband smuggling and customs
fraud. In order to achieve this mission, HSI reached out to key foreign
trading partners and successfully established (16) TTUs abroad. TTU
currently has partnerships with Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, France, Guatemala,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, United Kingdom, and Uruguay. These
countries are highly dependent upon value-added taxes (VAT) on
commodities, which served as a motivating factor in the establishment
of TTUs. These foreign partners recognize the value of information
sharing, which permits the comparison of international trade and cross-
border movement of merchandise.
The United States and its foreign TTU partners currently provide
trade data which that allows HSI investigators and analysts to detect
anomalies which may be indicative of criminal activity such as TBML,
contraband smuggling, and trade/customs fraud. This information sharing
allows for the cross-referencing of trade data with other pertinent
information such as Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) reports. The ultimate goal
of most criminal organizations is financial gain either to promote on-
going illicit activity or as the finality of this activity, hence
trade-based money laundering is often the primary means by which they
launder proceeds for their criminal enterprises.
ICE's Law Enforcement Information-Sharing Initiative (LEISI) serves
as an active advocate in support of law enforcement information sharing
both internal and external to DHS. This includes information sharing
between Federal, State, local, Tribal, territorial, and foreign
partners. LEISI coordinates throughout the law enforcement community to
improve the understanding of information needs, provide leadership in
resolving policy issues that may inhibit law enforcement information
sharing, and develop approaches to overcome traditional barriers to
information sharing.
The LEISI program provides program management support and oversight
to include administration of the Law Enforcement Information Sharing
Strategy. For fiscal year 2018, additional focus is on international
information for initiatives such as: Preventing and Combatting Serious
Crimes (PCSC), the Five Country Ministerial (FCM), the Five Country
Conference (FCC), and ERO's Criminal History Information Sharing (CHIS)
program.
CHIS is a DHS-led initiative between the United States and its
international partners whose purpose is to provide participating
nations with criminal history information in advance of an alien's
removal. In turn, foreign countries share their information with the
United States. The information shared helps protect law enforcement
personnel, regional security, and public safety officers all over the
globe. The initiative supports efforts in immigration management, law
enforcement and National security. Countries currently participating in
the CHIS initiative are: Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the
Bahamas, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, with planned expansion
to additional countries in fiscal year 2018.
CHIS enables ICE to identify wanted felons, including gang members,
who fled to the United States to avoid prosecution in their home
countries. Without this initiative, dangerous criminals might be able
to circumvent prosecution. In fiscal year 2017, CHIS sent 84,067
outbound notices of removal and ICE's foreign partners returned 21,434
positive responses, including 2,810 foreign criminal history records,
93 foreign criminal warrants and information related to 199
transnational gang members.
During fiscal year 2017, ICE achieved significant successes in
Latin America and the Caribbean through the development of programs
that bolstered the law enforcement, customs, and immigration
enforcement capabilities of international partners. These successes
included the joint interagency execution of Operation CITADEL, which
focused efforts on building partner nation capacity in identifying,
disrupting and dismantling TCOs, including those designated as drug
trafficking organizations and terrorist support networks. Interagency
information sharing and collaboration from agencies within DHS, the
Department of State, the Department of Justice (including the Federal
Bureau of Investigation), and the Department of Defense, as well as
participating partner nations, has been an essential piece of Operation
CITADEL's efforts to build capacity and to address identified threats.
Operation CITADEL provided resources to enhance foreign partners'
investigative capabilities to counter transnational threats and
organized crime that, in turn, provided ICE the ability to expand
domestic and international investigations well beyond the U.S. borders
and to more effectively target the illicit pathways exploited by TCOs.
In fiscal year 2017, the Operation CITADEL effected the training of
809 partner national personnel, 231 criminal arrests, 54 indictments, 9
convictions, 2,005 BITMAP enrollments, seizure of $252,235 in currency,
18,224 pounds of narcotics, seizure of 27 firearms, and encountered
3,669 aliens of possible National security concern.
conclusion
Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today and
for your continued support of DHS and ICE and their missions. ICE is
committed to continuing its successful practice of sharing information
with domestic and foreign partners and leveraging its resources around
the world to stem cross-border criminal organizations. I appreciate
your interest in these important issues and the efforts I have
discussed today.
I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.
Mr. King. Thank you very much, Mr. Villanueva for your
testimony and for your service.
Our final witness is Mr. Richard H. Glenn, the acting
deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in the State Department.
Mr. Glenn oversees his department's air wing and is
responsible for foreign assistance programs in the Western
Hemisphere that combat illicit drugs and organized crime and
support law enforcement and the rule of law. Mr. Glenn began
working with International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs in 2011 in Mexico City, implementing the Merida
Initiative.
Since joining the State Department as a foreign service
officer in 1999, Mr. Glenn has served in Ecuador, South Africa,
Czech Republic, Argentina, and Mexico.
Mr. Glenn, you are recognized for your testimony. Thank you
very much for being here today.
STATEMENT OF RICHARD H. GLENN, ACTING DEPUTY ASSISTANT
SECRETARY, BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTIC, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
STATE
Mr. Glenn. Good morning, Chairman King, Ranking Member
Rice, Members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the
opportunity to be here this morning to share with you the
Department of State's work to combat transnational gangs,
primarily through information sharing.
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs, INL as we know it, leads the Department's efforts to
combat crime overseas. We strengthen the capacity of foreign
partners to mitigate crime before it reaches our borders.
Our neighbors, particularly Central America's Northern
Triangle, suffer extortion, violence, and instability carried
out by gangs like MS-13. Gang activity in the region undermines
institutions. It drives migration and it threatens citizen
security. This has a direct bearing on our own National
security.
Like other forms of transnational crime, combatting gangs
requires well-coordinated and comprehensive solutions. INL
approaches this threat abroad on three fronts: First through
regional coordination and information sharing through vetted
and specialized units; No. 2, community anti-gang efforts; and
third through institutional reform and capacity building of our
foreign partners.
INL support to vetted and specialized units provides U.S.
and partner National law enforcement with the tools they need
to investigate complex and high-threat gang cases. Through our
support, foreign law enforcement gains the skills necessary to
become reliable, trusted partners of U.S. law enforcement,
routinely sharing information to disrupt the work of
transnational gangs.
We support 56 specialized units throughout Central America,
including FBI's TAG units and ICE's TCIUs. In 2016 alone the
Northern Triangle and the vetted units that we support made
3,116 arrests and denied more than $200 million in revenue to
criminal organizations.
Because gangs are transnational I cannot overstate the
importance of strong regional coordination. We must be nimble
and INL continually evolves its approach. INL and FBI develop
the regional criminal gang intelligence platform to enable
real-time information flow between TAG units.
Last May, INL, with the Department of Homeland Security,
created the Border Immigration and Coordination Center, which
we call GCIF, a Salvadoran multi-agency task force to help
U.S., State, and local authorities identify, arrest, or deny
entry to gang members.
To date, GCIF has identified 240 MS-13 members not
previously known to U.S. law enforcement, 46 not previously
known to Salvadoran authorities and 37 Salvadoran human
smugglers and facilitators.
Just in the last 2 weeks GCIF identified 16 Salvadoran gang
members, four of which had active arrest warrants in El
Salvador for crimes, including aggravated homicide. They will
be processed for deportation and returned to Salvadoran law
enforcement authorities.
INL is working to expand GCIF offices in El Salvador to
include Guatemala, Honduran, and Mexican authorities.
We also work closely with our partners in Mexico through
the Merida Initiative to strengthen our shared border security
and to combat transnational crime through enhanced information
sharing. Through INL support, in partnership with DHS,
biometric information Mexico collects at their borders and
ports is now being shared with the United States.
This capability enhances our countries' joint efforts to
respond to migration trends and to conduct cross-border
investigations of gang members and special interest aliens.
We recognize, however, improving operational coordination
and information sharing is not enough. Citizens need to have
the trust and confidence in police to report crimes and police
need that information to successfully crack down on gang
activity.
In Central America, INL is strengthening local law
enforcement's capacity to connect with communities and address
gang violence by implementing violence prevention programs in
high-crime areas, many of which have seen homicide rates plunge
between 40 percent and 73 percent in 2015.
INL's third line of effort supports building strong
institutions. Arresting gang members is only effective if
justice institutions can prosecute, convict, and incarcerate
criminals. INL and our interagency partners enhance the
capacity of justice institutions, including attorney generals
to introduce legal reforms, mitigate gang violence, and combat
corruption.
Combatting transnational gangs requires comprehensive and
well-coordinated efforts. Achieving lasting change is not quick
or easy, but the comprehensive approach we have put in place is
showing promising results. And a sustained commitment to our
partners in the region is critical to protecting our homeland.
Chairman King, Ranking Member Rice, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today, and I look forward to
your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Glenn follows:]
Prepared Statement of Richard H. Glenn
January 18, 2018
Chairman King, Ranking Member Rice, distinguished Members of the
subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today
to discuss the work of the Department of State's Bureau of
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) to combat
transnational gangs, including through information sharing.
Transnational gangs are key drivers of instability throughout the
Western Hemisphere, posing significant threats to security and
prosperity here in the United States and to our partners abroad,
particularly in Central America. Transnational gangs extort individuals
and small businesses and perpetuate high levels of violence and crime,
causing large numbers of Central Americans, particularly in the
Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, to
migrate to the United States.
Gangs, predominantly Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street
Gang, which originated in Los Angeles in the 1980's, continue to
forcibly recruit vulnerable Central American immigrants and expand
their influence in the United States. With a presence in more than 40
U.S. States, communities across the country are forced to grapple with
increased levels of homicide, extortion, local drug dealing,
prostitution, and other violent crimes carried out by gangs. MS-13 is
particularly prevalent in El Salvador, contributing to its notoriety as
one of the most violent countries in the world in 2015 and 2016. While
El Salvador's homicide rate for 2017 decreased by 25 percent from 2016
levels, gang activity still contributes to sustained levels of
extortion, violence, and insecurity. U.S. law enforcement reports more
frequent communication between MS-13 members in El Salvador and the
United States, further reinforcing the growing transnational nature of
MS-13. Both MS-13 and Barrio 18 have a significant presence in
Honduras, though not on the same scale as in El Salvador. In Guatemala,
gang activity consists mainly of street gangs focused on extortion.
However, transnational gang members, especially Barrio 18, are
increasingly extending operations in Guatemala as El Salvador and
Honduras intensify efforts to combat gangs in their respective
countries.
As the reach of transnational gangs span borders and communities,
successfully dismantling them require comprehensive and well-
coordinated solutions at the local, State, Federal, and international
levels. INL leads the Department of State's efforts to combat
transnational crime overseas by strengthening the capacity of foreign
partners to combat and prevent crime at the source before it reaches
U.S. borders. Our programs complement those of, and are closely
coordinated with, the efforts of our U.S. interagency colleagues,
including the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security (DHS).
In Central America, INL leads the Department's implementation of
regional efforts to combat transnational crime under the Central
America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) and in support of the U.S.
Strategy for Central America, a multi-year interagency initiative to
secure U.S. borders and protect U.S. citizens by addressing the
security, governance, and economic drivers of migration and illicit
trafficking, and to promote private-sector investment in Central
America. Established in 2008, CARSI brings years of lessons learned and
best practices to the current fight against transnational gangs,
including the knowledge that combatting MS-13 and other transnational
gangs requires a multi-faceted approach that couples law enforcement
efforts to deny transnational gangs the ability to operate with
building stronger, more accountable institutions that bring criminals
to justice. To this end, INL support under CARSI focuses on
strengthening the capacity of foreign governments' law enforcement and
criminal justice systems through a three-part approach: Regional
coordination and information sharing through vetted and specialized
units, bottom-up community anti-gang efforts, and top-down
institutional reform and capacity building. Through this approach, we
prevent gang activity and recruitment in Central American communities,
ensure institutions are capable of bringing gang members to justice,
and strengthen the ability of partner-nation law enforcement to disrupt
and dismantle transnational gangs.
Our Northern Triangle partners are also working to enhance their
efforts to disrupt and dismantle transnational crime. In August 2016,
the Northern Triangle governments signed the ``Regional Plan Against
Transnational Organized Crime''. The agreement includes measures for
information sharing on organized crime investigations and increased
joint patrolling of border zones by police and military personnel to
curb arms and drug smuggling, as well as the movement of gang members.
As part of this plan, high-level officials, including the Attorney
Generals, meet to increase collaboration and coordination between the
countries.
regional coordination and information sharing
Working closely with our interagency colleagues, including DoJ and
DHS, INL combats transnational gangs through building the capacity of
vetted units and specialized task forces to investigate cases and to
serve as reliable, trusted partners of U.S. law enforcement. Due to the
transnational nature of MS-13 and Barrio 18, our efforts increasingly
focus on enhancing cross-border intelligence sharing and operations. We
currently support 56 partner nation vetted units, task forces, and
specialized tactical units throughout Central America. These units,
typically comprised of elite members of partner nation law enforcement
institutions, are capable of investigating complex and high-threat gang
cases and other key security issues. In Honduras, El Salvador, and
Guatemala, INL provides training, equipment, technology, and logistical
support to FBI-vetted and advised Transnational Anti-Gang Units (TAGs),
which lead international efforts to target criminal gangs. Through the
TAGs, U.S. and Central American law enforcement partners work together
to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle transnational gangs, including
through the collection and dissemination of intelligence to support
investigations. The results of these units have been remarkable and,
importantly, have led to arrests in both the United States and Central
America, and to lives saved. In 2015 the TAG unit in El Salvador
started monitoring Salvadorans with active links to gang members
throughout the East Coast of the United States, which contributed to
the identification of the entire leadership structure for local MS-13
and 18th Street gangs and the arrest of 98 MS-13 gang members in
Charlotte, Boston, and Newark, saving four lives in the United States
and 28 in El Salvador.
To enhance TAG units' ability to attack criminal gang activity in
the region, INL supported the development of the Regional Criminal Gang
Intelligence Platform (SICAT), which was operationalized in October
2017. INL continues to support SICAT, which enables real-time
information sharing for TAG units to track gang-related activities,
migration, human smuggling, and the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and
illicit goods across the Northern Triangle. The platform facilitates
secure and immediate exchange of information, directly supporting the
Northern Triangle Presidents agreement in the 2016 ``Regional Plan
Against Transnational Organized Crime'' to exchange information on
transnational gang activity. SICAT is a critical component for
increased cross-border coordination and operations.
In the Northern Triangle and Panama, INL supports U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-vetted Transnational Criminal
Investigative Units (TCIUs) through the provision of equipment and
technology, training, and logistical support. TCIUs disrupt and
dismantle transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and investigate a
litany of crimes, including human trafficking, smuggling, and money
laundering, which often have a nexus with transnational gangs. Our
support for TCIUs includes DHS Operation CITADEL, a multi-year
interagency effort to bolster partner nation capabilities to identify,
disrupt, and dismantle TCOs by targeting the networks used to move
migrants, illicit funds, and contraband throughout Central America. In
2017, CITADEL's intelligence and information sharing, mentoring, and
capacity building through cross-border TCIU operations resulted in 231
arrests, including nine MS-13 members in Honduras. CITADEL also led
authorities to identify or disrupt a number of human trafficking and
financial networks of gangs and TCOs in the region.
Extortion is the main source of revenue for Salvadoran gangs. Wide-
spread extortion perpetuated by gangs is often cited as a primary
security concern by citizens of the Northern Triangle and one of the
drivers of migration from the region. As a result, INL established
several specialized task forces beginning in 2012 comprised of police
and prosecutors to address extortion and dismantle transnational gangs'
extensive financial networks. Through technical assistance and
mentoring by INL and DOJ Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development
Assistance and Training (OPDAT) advisors, investigations by these task
forces have produced impressive results. In 2017, asset forfeiture and
financial crimes task forces executed numerous large-scale operations
with hundreds of arrests and multi-million-dollar asset seizures of
gang members and associates, eliminating access to their financial
resources. For example, the Salvadoran Business Crimes Task Force
(BCTF) successfully dismantled four MS-13 and 18th Street extortion
networks, maintaining a 96 percent conviction rate. In 2016, these
units contributed to Operation Jaque, El Salvador's first effort to
dismantle MS-13 financial structures. The Salvadoran Attorney General's
Office expanded the BCTF concept to anti-extortion units located in
each of El Salvador's 19 departments. In September 2017, the units
executed a second MS-13 financial takedown, Operation Tecana, which
involved cross-border coordination with Guatemala and DHS, resulting in
137 arrests, including six police officers, for collaborating with MS-
13 and other criminal organizations and the seizure of properties and
businesses used to launder money from illicit acts.
In September 2017, INL and interagency efforts to more effectively
coordinate the network of Northern Triangle task forces and vetted
units contributed to the success of Operation Regional Shield. INL-
supported prosecutors and police in Guatemala, Honduras, and El
Salvador, working with OPDAT and the FBI, conducted a coordinated
regional operation against gang members in their respective countries.
The operation led to the arrest of 3,800 gang members in the United
States and Central America. Law enforcement officials seized six
firearms and charged 284 gang members in Guatemala; seized 14
businesses and 11 luxury vehicles and arrested 12 MS-13 money
launderers in Honduras; and filed 3,477 criminal charges, resulting in
more than 1,400 arrests and the dismantling of eight MS-13 and Barrio
18 cliques in El Salvador.
In May 2017, INL facilitated the creation of the Border Integration
and Coordination Center (GCIF), a Salvadoran multi-agency task force
supporting DHS and U.S. State and local law enforcement to identify,
arrest, or deny entry to gang members. GCIF officials, originally
deployed to McAllen, Texas, conduct research and report information to
DHS and relevant law enforcement for further action. The information
provided through GCIF was not available to U.S. authorities prior to
the implementation of the program. Since its inception, GCIF
information has led to the arrest of eight gang members and one human
smuggler in the United States, as well as the arrest of a gang member
in Italy who was on Salvadoran authorities' top-wanted criminal list.
GCIF has identified 240 MS-13 members not previously known to U.S. law
enforcement, 46 not previously known to Salvadoran authorities, and 37
Salvadoran human smugglers and facilitators. GCIF queries also
identified 88 Salvadoran nationals with active arrest warrants in El
Salvador; information U.S. officials utilized when reviewing
immigration applications made by these individuals. In December 2017,
the last Salvadoran officials deployed to McAllen returned to El
Salvador, joining a permanent staff of 10 police officers, five
migration officials, and two corrections officers--alongside
representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security--at a
dedicated Salvadoran headquarters where they will continue to review
these records.
Due to the initial successes and strengthened coordination between
United States and Salvadoran authorities, INL is working to expand GCIF
to include Guatemalan and Honduran officials. In July 2017, the INL-
funded United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime human trafficking
project facilitated the first Interparliamentary Forum among
legislators, Attorneys General, and Security Ministers of the Northern
Triangle countries. The country delegates concluded the meeting with
signed commitments, including support for GCIF, the first tangible
regional commitment to the GCIF by the Northern Triangle governments.
At the same time, we are working to expand GCIF beyond its current
location and are promoting it as a resource for U.S. States and local
jurisdictions with significant MS-13 presence. In October 2017, INL and
DHS reached out to the Suffolk County, Long Island Police Department
(SCPD), which submitted to GCIF a list of 454 individuals suspected of
gang affiliation. GCIF identified and provided potential residential
locations of known gang members and individuals wanted in El Salvador.
Through INL's International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs), we
provide specialized training to criminal justice sector officials and
facilitate collaboration between partner nations' and U.S. Federal,
State, and local law enforcement to address common problems. From 2015
through 2017, 211 law enforcement officials from 12 countries,
including more than 100 from the Northern Triangle, attended anti-gang
training courses at ILEAs San Salvador and Roswell. The courses were
taught either by the FBI or Salvadoran National Police to provide
participants with tools to investigate gang-related crimes.
information sharing with mexico
Through our strong security partnership with Mexico, INL's efforts
under the Merida Initiative includes enhancing information sharing with
Mexico to disrupt transnational crime and TCOs. In 2015, the United
States agreed to help Mexico develop a nation-wide, interagency
biometrics system capable of interfacing with U.S. biometrics systems.
INL, in coordination with DHS, commenced a pilot project in 2017 to
enable Mexico's National Migration Institute to routinely collect and
exchange biometric information on migrants with the United States. As
of 2017, all biometric information collected in migration centers and
ports of entry along Mexico's southern border with Guatemala and Belize
is shared with United States law enforcement. This capability enhances
our countries' joint efforts to identify, track, and dismantle TCOs and
other violent criminal groups; to identify Known or Suspected
Terrorists before they reach U.S. borders; to track migration patterns;
to anticipate, plan for, and respond to migration surges; to analyze
human trafficking networks; and to support cross-border investigations
of gang members and other criminals. INL partners with ICE and Customs
and Border Protection (CBP) to train and mentor Mexican migration
officials. We will explore expanding this biometric exchange with
Mexico to prisons, airports, and other Mexican security agencies.
The depth of our cooperation with Mexico to strengthen border
security, control migration, and dismantle transnational criminal
networks is unprecedented. Since 2014, Mexico has significantly
increased its presence along its southern border with Guatemala and
Belize. In 2016, Mexico's Migration Agency detained 188,595 migrants
headed to the United States. Ninety percent of those migrants were
Central Americans, and 17,889 were unaccompanied children. Mexico's
cooperation to control migration strengthens our own border security
and saves the United States billions of dollars in potential
deportation costs.
Mexico continues to increase engagement with the United States and
Central American partners to combat shared threats from organized
crime, and we welcome this very positive step in regional
collaboration.
bottom-up anti-gang efforts
In addition to our bilateral and regional coordination efforts to
enhance information sharing, INL also implements proven successful
community-level anti-gang interventions in Central America, given a
significant amount of gang activity in the region is localized. These
interventions strengthen the capacity of police, make communities more
resilient to gang infiltration, and establish trust and relationships
between communities and the police. Through Model Police Precincts
(MPP) and Place-Based Strategy (PBS) sites, we strengthen local law
enforcement's ability to prevent and respond to gang violence by
identifying key high-crime areas and communities at risk, and
partnering with implementers to develop strategically balanced and
integrated criminal justice-sector projects. As a result of these
strong partnerships, MPP and PBS sites have seen reductions in homicide
rates ranging from 40 to 73 percent since 2015. We also tackle gang
recruitment, a pervasive issue for youth in the Northern Triangle
countries, through the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT)
and Police Athletic League (PAL) programs. These police-led programs
provide anti-gang and life skills training, sports, and other
activities to at-risk children. As a result, children develop tools to
resist recruitment tactics and citizen trust in law enforcement is
strengthened. To date, more than 300,000 students have graduated from
INL-sponsored GREAT programs in Central America, and 1,624 police
officers achieved certification to teach the GREAT curriculum.
top-down institutional efforts
Arresting gang members is only effective if justice institutions
are capable of prosecuting, convicting, and incarcerating these
criminals. Through training, technical assistance, and mentoring, INL
and our interagency partners enhance the capacity of the Northern
Triangle justice institutions and ensure the security of prosecutors
and judges working on high-profile cases. These efforts are essential
as corruption and impunity remain significant challenges in the region.
We work closely with the Attorney Generals of the Northern Triangle
countries to introduce legal reforms, mitigate gang violence, and
combat corruption. Many key successes, including Operation Regional
Shield executed in September 2017, are coordinated by Northern Triangle
Attorney Generals, with U.S. support. Furthermore, by helping
Salvadoran and Guatemalan prisons improve security and infrastructure,
we work to ensure that gang leaders are unable to direct criminal
activities while incarcerated.
conclusion
Dismantling transnational gangs and ending the violence and crime
they carry out requires sustained and well-coordinated efforts between
law enforcement while also strengthening the institutions that
administer justice and investing in local communities to increase trust
and confidence in the police and provide citizens with the tools
necessary to resist gang influence. These are smart and necessary
investments, whether it is combating transnational gangs here at home
or abroad. Security in Central America is vital to the security of the
United States. INL's work to strengthen foreign partner capacity in the
region provides critical linkages between U.S. and foreign law
enforcement to make possible greater information sharing. Like other
forms of transnational crime, however, dismantling gangs does not lend
itself to simple, short-term solutions. This is a long-term endeavor,
but the comprehensive approach we have put in place to tackle the
considerable challenges before us is demonstrating measurable results.
INL will continue to support programming that enhances information
sharing and regional coordination to improve citizen security in
Central America and combat the influence of transnational gangs and
criminal organizations in the United States.
Mr. King. Thank you, Mr. Glenn.
I will direct my first question initially to the FBI but
then to be answered by anyone who wants to respond. What has
changed or will change in your ability to target MS-13 since
the October 2017 attorney general direction to make the TCO a
priority? OK, that will be the first part of the question.
Mr. Richardson. Thank you, sir. Certainly we at the FBI
have redirected resources appropriately. We are actively
engaged with our TAG teams or our TAG task forces down in the
Northern Triangle with regard to MS-13 and the 18th Street
gang.
Ultimately our goal is to get ahead of the threat through
intelligence sharing and be more proactive as opposed to
reactive. We rely heavily upon the information that is coming
out of the Northern Triangle.
We have SSAs that are assigned to these vetted teams that
are trusted advisors providing subject-matter expertise
regarding investigative techniques that we utilize. Then the
goal is to gain actionable intelligence and share that with our
domestic partners, with our trusted Safe Streets partners
across the United States in order to get ahead of the threat.
Mr. King. Thank you. Let me, before I go to Mr. Villanueva,
I would be remiss if I didn't also commend the FBI for the
terrific work they are doing in the--and again, this is HSI,
FBI and the local police are doing a phenomenal job, and so I
want to--if you can, again, pass on to them my thanks for the
terrific job they are doing.
Mr. Richardson. Yes, sir. I will. Thank you.
Mr. King. Now to Mr. Villanueva and Mr. Glenn, as a follow-
on to that question, did this attorney general's direction add
any capabilities to HSI or to the State Department?
Mr. Villanueva. Sir, what I will say is that the direction
will actually help us to focus on the problem and to double
down our efforts into targeting MS-13 and other violent gangs
by bringing all ICE tools to bear, whether it is the criminal
enforcement side they have through HSI or the administrative
through ERO.
But also to bring our traditional financial investigations
to target their finances, their assets, and to go with a
holistic approach against this violent gang, also by working
with CBP, with the interagency and working with INL to bring
capacity-building efforts to the region very much like the FBI
is doing to continue to raise that level of awareness and the
expertise to tackle those violent gangs.
So a really important direction. It really helps the
interagency and the law enforcement community to hone down into
a terrific problem that is affecting our National security.
Mr. King. Mr. Glenn.
Mr. Glenn. I would just echo what Mr. Villanueva mentioned,
as well as the success of our programs relies largely on the
political will of the countries that we work in. Without that
political will we can do a tremendous amount of work and have
very few results.
When we get high-level engagement, for example, the
attorney general's engagement with the countries that we work
in, it sends a very clear signal as to the priorities of the
United States and helps them internally develop the political
will that is needed to make these programs successful.
Mr. King. If I could follow up with you, Mr. Glenn, how is
the McAllen coordination facilitated by INL? How is that
enhancing the coordination between, say, the police in El
Salvador and in U.S. communities such as Nassau and Suffolk
Counties where Miss Rice and I represent?
Mr. Glenn. Sure. So it has been a tremendous development
and a very effective tool, but what it does is it places or has
placed in El Salvador a law enforcement official who has access
to their criminal information databases and puts them in
physical connection with law enforcement authorities in the
United States and provides us between the two countries an
avenue with which to share the information.
That is why we have been able to get the results that we
have gotten. As people have come across the border and been
apprehended, we can run fingerprints against databases in El
Salvador.
So people who have misrepresented who they are, your
fingerprint doesn't lie, and that is how we have been able to
actually identify people wanted for murder back in El Salvador
and been able to deport them and see that they experience
justice.
Mr. King. Thank you, Mr. Glenn.
Now I will recognize the Ranking Member. But let me just
say before I formally recognize her, is that Miss Rice has been
a great partner in all this. We had a joint hearing back in
Central Islip on MS-13 back in, I guess, May or June, and I
want to thank her for her cooperation and bipartisan spirit in
this.
With that, I recognize the Ranking Member.
Miss Rice. Thank you, Chairman King.
Mr. Glenn, what are the largest Russian gangs that you have
come across, and what are the kind of criminal activities that
they are involved in? How are you trying to combat Russian
cyber crime?
Mr. Glenn. So our focus in the Western Hemisphere has been
on Latin American gangs, MS-13, 18th Street. Russian gangs in
the Western Hemisphere has not been a focus.
What I can do is take that question back to those who focus
on Russian law enforcement matters.
Miss Rice. But if you are talking about transnational
criminal organizations, I mean, the Russians, given what they
did during the elections last year have to be front and center
on--I mean, just out of curiosity is there any focus on that at
all?
Mr. Glenn. Right.
Miss Rice. I am not saying take away from MS-13, but if you
are looking at transnational criminal organizations I would
think that the Russians are right up there.
Mr. Glenn. The focus in the Western Hemisphere has been on
MS-13 and 18th Street.
Miss Rice. Are you aware of any effort to address Russian--
--
Mr. Glenn. Not in the Western Hemisphere.
Miss Rice [continuing]. Criminal organizations? No.
Mr. Glenn. Not in the Western Hemisphere.
Miss Rice. Well----
Mr. Glenn. Not INL programming.
Miss Rice. OK.
Mr. Villanueva, there are many undocumented immigrants who
I am sure you are aware are victims of transnational criminal
organizations, including MS-13, certainly where Chairman King
and I are from. They witness crimes committed by gang members,
but as you know, many of them don't want to come forward
because they are afraid that they are then going to be taken
into custody, deported depending on what their status is.
So my question is: You know, it seems that the
administration's rhetoric and policies toward undocumented
immigrants have really caused that fear to escalate. So how are
you as law enforcement agencies, needing information from
people who are maybe here illegally but are being victimized
and have information to help you address the criminal
activities of MS-13 and other gangs, how do you deal with that
issue?
Mr. Villanueva. Ma'am, thank you very much for the
question. Your point is extremely valid and it is a concern
that we law enforcement deal with every day. As a matter of
fact, there are protections for witnesses when they come
forward to law enforcement, whether they are in the country
legally or not.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the INA, we can
provide those individuals with continued presence. That
authority is delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security,
which she then delegates that to ICE, which is one of the
programs that I have overseen of. It is what we call the Parole
Branch.
We can work with that community and we can offer
protections, continued presence, significant public benefit
paroles and there are some other tools out there to protect
those individuals from being deported, to protect those
individuals from violence from those gangs.
So there are protections for them when they come forward to
law enforcement. When I am saying law enforcement, not only
ICE, HSI. When they come forward to the FBI we will work with
our FBI partners to grant those protections to any witness that
come forward regardless of that person's immigration status.
Miss Rice. Has that made it easier for you to get
information? I mean how do you get the word out that it is OK
for people to come forward?
Mr. Villanueva. So we do have actually outreach campaigns
through the victim assistance program and certainly efforts
like this and where we have the ability to talk to the American
people about all the programs are paramount to get the word
out, so really appreciate your question on this topic.
Miss Rice. Great, thank you.
I think that is it.
Mr. King. Mr. Perry, let me thank you for--articulately and
more intelligently than I would ever do.
Mr. Perry. My privilege, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. King. The gentleman is recognized.
Mr. Perry. Thank you.
Mr. Richardson, a couple questions here kind-of in
different directions and maybe a little off the topic of
collaboration, but somewhat in it. Not only transnational
crimes but if a terrorist activity or event occurs in the
United States that would be something you would collaborate
with other agencies on as the FBI. Is that correct? I just want
to make sure I am not out of bounds here.
Mr. Richardson. Yes. Yes.
Mr. Perry. That is correct, right? So if I could, what
compels your organization or local law enforcement for that
matter to work with the National Counterterrorism Center in
some type of a criminal or alleged terrorist event? What
compels that? What is the precedent? What has to happen?
Mr. Richardson. So counterterrorism is not my expertise.
Mr. Perry. I understand.
Mr. Richardson. However, I can tell you that NCTC is a
great partner of ours. We work with them each and every day on
the counterterrorism front and share information on a regular
basis, both on a Classified level and an Unclassified level.
Mr. Perry. If you were working on a case, so to speak
though, and you determined that you need to bring the NCTC in,
what makes that determination? Do they offer? Do you see
things? How does that happen?
I am trying to figure out what that nexus is, and I have
got a specific example in mind and I won't keep you in
suspense.
The mass hooting in Las Vegas, ISIS in June and August, per
my recollection, warned the United States or warned us, warned
the public that they were going to attack Las Vegas. Then I
think up to four times post the incident claimed
responsibility.
Yet at this point I don't think there is any NCTC
involvement, but there is FBI involvement. So I am trying to
figure out what is happening there? Do you know?
Mr. Richardson. So I couldn't speak to the Las Vegas
shooting incident in this particular environment because of
classification issues.
Mr. Perry. Well, what is the normal protocol though? What
would invoke? What would precipitate involving the NCTC?
Mr. Richardson. Specifically I would have to get back to
you. I am happy to do that.
Mr. Perry. There is no normal protocol that somebody has to
request it? You hear some traffic. You see some traffic. None
of that? There is not a specific protocol that you know of at
this time?
Mr. Richardson. So my information is dated but I will tell
you based upon my personal experience working counterterrorism
matters the dialog with NCTC happens every day in group
meetings and then individually with folks that work from each
agency. So I can tell you that that dialog is on-going. It is
seamless.
Mr. Perry. OK.
Mr. Richardson. But specifically if you are asking me for
protocols I will have to get back to you on that.
Mr. Perry. Yes, if you could, please.
Mr. Richardson. Sure.
Mr. Perry. I would like to be able to understand that a
little bit better. Moving on with the remaining time I want to
explore an area where this, again, is maybe out of the
particular realm of this conversation, but Congress is meant to
provide oversight in our role, and we provide a check on the
Executive branch to ensure the balance of power between the two
branches.
I have oftentimes, and you might not have and probably have
nothing to do with this, but been frustrated by asking for
briefings on particular issues from the FBI only to be told
there is no briefing available. We are not going to brief you.
I understand the sensitivity of the case and that we don't
want to jeopardize any on-going investigation. I will tell you
one in particular that I have requested and recently requested
again, and I am trying to work through whatever the protocols
are.
Imran Awan is a case that I am interested in. We don't seem
to have much information. I am just trying to verify and
validate some things. This is an incident where literally the
Congress is involved.
As I understand it the FBI's involved, yet we can get no
information--zero. We can't get a briefing. We don't see any
reports from the FBI so we don't know where the investigation
stands.
Is it solely bank fraud? Is there something more to do with
the links to Pakistan and the shadow, if you want to call it
that, or whatever you want to call the car sales exercise and
money laundering and so on and so forth? These seem to be
reasonable questions for Members of Congress.
Certainly I have got a bona-fide Top Secret clearance and
plus whatever you characterize the one here in Congress. What
must Members of Congress do to get a reasonable briefing on
events that are appropriate? Is there something I am missing?
Mr. Richardson. No, sir. We make every effort to provide
those briefings at the request of Congress and others. I would
encourage you to continue to make that request. We will send it
up through our channels.
I will tell you that we are hesitant to comment both
publicly or privately on on-going investigations. As a matter
of fact, we are prohibited to do that. However, in certain
instances we are able to provide those briefings when the
request comes in.
So I am very familiar with----
Mr. Perry. If you would please make a note that I have made
the request but maybe it will have a little more weight if you
send it forward. But we will continue to, and I look forward to
a continuing conversation on this and other issues.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield.
Mr. King. Thank you, Mr. Perry.
The gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. Keating.
Mr. Keating. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. King. Former prosecutor himself.
Mr. Keating. That is right. That is correct. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman, and thank all of you for your service to the country.
It is really appreciated, and it is great to see the
interagency cooperation on display here this morning.
I had a question, I guess Mr. Glenn first. You were
describing some of the conditions in El Salvador and you were
talking about how many homicides, gang activity, the violence
that is there. It is a pretty violent place, isn't it?
Mr. Glenn. Yes.
Mr. Keating. Young people that are there, is there coercive
activities with these gangs and other groups to coerce them
into criminal activities?
Mr. Glenn. Yes.
Mr. Keating. What would you say, and is it important to
have cooperation, as you mentioned, with the local people in
the country, not just the leaders themselves? That is part of
what we are trying to instill. That is part of the three things
you mentioned, correct?
Mr. Glenn. Correct.
Mr. Keating. So what are we to make of sending 200,000
people back to El Salvador in huge numbers? What is that going
to--what message does that send to the people we are trying to
create this cooperation with in El Salvador when they see
family members who have fled because of danger, fear, being
sent back?
Is that something that instills or will enhance cooperation
locally in our activities? What kind of message could that
send?
Mr. Glenn. Sure. Well, I think it is important at least in
terms of why we do what we do in Central America, specifically
in El Salvador. The reason that we offer the assistance that we
do is because of the conditions in these countries.
Mr. Keating. Right.
Mr. Glenn. So we have----
Mr. Keating. So I mean is it fair to say that sending these
people that fled from those type of coercive activities and
dangers we could be sending them right back into those
dangerous situations----
Mr. Glenn. Well, from an INL perspective, our
responsibility is to----
Mr. Keating. No, no, I am sorry. I am just asking you with
your knowledge not as an official answer, but----
Mr. Glenn. Yes.
Mr. Keating [continuing]. You know, with the knowledge
which obviously you have for that part of the world and what is
happening, is that kind-of a possibility?
Mr. Glenn. Yes, but there are tough conditions and that is
why we are there trying to help resolve, to help them get the
security infrastructure that they need.
Mr. Keating. So nothing has changed suddenly from the point
where those people fled from that coercive activity and it is
still a problem. I am wouldn't say there's not improvement, but
it's still a problem.
Mr. Glenn. Oh, yes. I think we have seen some real
improvement, especially in some of the most dangerous
neighborhoods, the neighborhood of Chamelecon in Honduras, for
example, outside of San Pedro Sula. You know, in partnership
with USAID and DOD, INL's place-based strategy has made
significant improvements in a neighborhood like that that was a
primary----
Mr. Keating. So but it is still dangerous?
Mr. Glenn. Dangerous and getting better.
Mr. Keating. The country is--yes, great.
Mr. Glenn. Yes.
Mr. Keating. All right. Thank you. I know those are
difficult questions to put you on the line for, but it is
important to say as part of your earlier testimony indicated.
You know, there are about 100 people, almost 100 people a
day in the United States dying, and when you look at the gang
activity and the other activities.
But when we are looking at transnational criminal
organizations, the one that is killing the most people in our
country, as I said, almost 100 a day, are those activities that
surround opioids and Fentanyl coming into our country, being
counterfeited to look like Percocet or other commercial drugs,
coming in with great potency.
It has spiked the deaths in my area and most of the country
enormously. A lot of that is coming from China. Can you comment
on what we are trying to do where right under the nose of the
Chinese government the manufacturing of these that are
occurring and being shipped through?
Because clearly that is costing the most American lives
every day. Anything we are doing to focus on that specifically?
Any of you, sorry; FBI, too.
Mr. Glenn. I can just mention briefly some of the things
that INL has been doing. One of the important things on
Fentanyl and the analogs of Fentanyl, so there are multiple
types of synthetic opioids that are being produced in China and
brought into the United States, is to get those substances on
the list of prohibited substances.
That has been successful. We will be going into the
meetings in April in Vienna to get additional substances put on
those lists.
Engagement with China has been effective, and I think we
have begun to see China taking a proactive----
Mr. Keating. Quickly because my time is running out, it is
important to note that my discussions in private meetings with
the Customs and Border Patrol, Homeland people, the greatest
trend now is getting the shipments through UPS, FedEx, the
United States Postal Service.
These things are coming and you also have that in
coordination with use of the internet and maybe some of the
dark parts of the internet, too.
I mean, is that creates a great challenge, a lot of those
things. How are you doing on that? That is a pretty tough
challenge to do, but are we getting more cooperation from the
postal service or from these other countries at the point that
they are being sent from?
FBI, you know, Mr. Richardson.
Mr. Richardson. Yes, sir, thank you for the question and
certainly realize that opioid addiction and trafficking of
opioids in this country is a great problem. It will probably be
worse tomorrow than it is today unfortunately, but we do have
resources that are targeting the distributors of those illegal
opioids to the communities.
One thing that we are doing that is a little bit unique
maybe from some of the other agencies is we have stood up a
unit that looks at the dark net specifically in order to try to
identify those individuals, those organizations that are on the
dark net, the net beyond the net, hiding with autonomy that are
sending the drugs through whether it is FedEx or whether it is
the postal service or how the narcotics are coming in.
So we have had some success with that initiative thus far.
We are going to add additional resources to that going forward,
and we have been relatively successful, so----
Mr. Keating. Well, thank you. My time is up. I would just
comment. I would rather give you and your collective activities
on that arena more resources, more money, because it is killing
more people than having an extended wall would result in saving
people's lives.
I yield back.
Mr. King. The gentleman yields.
We are going to closed session soon, but I have two
questions I would like to ask if you can answer them on the
record. If not, we can wait 'til downstairs. I will ask them
together and then you can respond.
My staff recently visited El Salvador and they heard from
agencies on the ground that the MS-13 leaders are actually
frustrated that the MS-13 members in this country are not
violent enough. They are going to be sending more violent
members to the United States.
Now, can you confirm that? If so can you say what, you
know, the implications of that are? Would you be able to adapt
to that?
Mr. Richardson. So I will take a crack at it first. I can
tell you from the FBI perspective our intelligence streams tell
us that what you have mentioned is accurate. Because of
enforcement actions across the country, some of the leadership
here at the mid-level within the United States of America they
have been arrested. They are incarcerated.
That is frustrating to the leadership of the MS-13 gang in
El Salvador, and they are very much interested in sending
younger, more violent offenders, gang members up through their
channels into this country in order to be enforcers for the
gang. So that is absolutely correct.
Mr. King. Mr. Villanueva.
Mr. Villanueva. Yes, sir. We can actually discuss some of
our on-going efforts later on today downstairs, but yes. We are
looking at that problem. We are looking at the information we
are getting and, once again, I mean, we are doubling down our
efforts against MS-13.
As a matter of fact, this year Operation Citadel, which we
have been doing for a few years, it is just going to have an
MS-13 component working with our international partners. We do
have some other efforts that are going to be paramount to stop
the flow of those individuals from coming in to the United
States that we can discuss later today.
Mr. King. Mr. Glenn, do you have any----
Mr. Glenn. Again, I would just reiterate that our efforts
are going to be in support of the units that they work with in
the Northern Triangle region to help mitigate any kind of
change in behaviors by the gangs.
Mr. King. Yes. I would just say it is hard to imagine them
being much more violent, so truly a horrifying thought. I know
within 1 mile of my house I am sure close to where Miss Rice
lives they are actually digging up bodies of young kids who
have been butchered by MS-13.
So one other question on that. Are there any signs of MS-13
member partnering with traditional drug cartels?
Mr. Glenn. I can--internationally?
Mr. King. Internationally, yes.
Mr. Glenn. Yes. You know, they control neighborhoods just
like here in the United States. MS-13 and 18th Street gang
members distribute drugs in their countries so they are an
essential part of the distribution network of drugs in their
countries for local consumption there.
There are indications, although not in large ways, but
there are indications that they do cooperate with the drug
trafficking organizations that are sending drugs into the
United States.
Mr. Richardson. So I would say our intelligence tells us or
informs us that most of the relationships are opportunistic in
nature. The MS-13 would be subordinate to the larger drug
cartels that we are familiar with and we have worked for years.
MS-13 is used as enforcers for particular shipments and/or
distribution rings in some of the communities here within the
United States. So that is the intelligence that we have
currently regarding the partnership, but MS-13 is subordinate
to the drug cartels.
Mr. Villanueva. Sir, along the same lines our information
is similar to the FBI. There is connectivity. It is just
defining what connectivity looks like. So the same connectivity
to be at par. Maybe not but maybe as a subordinate, the
enforcers, distributors. There is certainly a connection to
that effect.
Mr. King. OK. I have no more questions in open session.
Miss Rice, do you?
Miss Rice. No.
Mr. King. Scott? No? OK. Well, with that, do we actually
adjourn or go on recess? How do we get downstairs? What do we
do? So what do we do next, recess?
OK. Recess and we will move to a secure environment. Thank
you. Thank you for testifying and we will see you downstairs.
[Whereupon, at 11:13 a.m., the subcommittee proceeded in
closed session and subsequently adjourned at 12:28 p.m.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Questions From Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson for Stephen E.
Richardson
Question 1. What are the largest Russian transnational gangs and
what are their main activities and crimes?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 2. How is your agency trying to combat Russian cyber
crimes, including those perpetrated by Russian and Eurasian
transnational gangs, and/or Russia-linked actors working with these
gangs?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 3. How does your agency prioritize which transnational
gangs, and which of their illicit activities, to combat? What common
metrics are used by your agency to communicate across the interagency
to measure the threat posed by various gangs? What metrics are most
commonly used in information sharing with foreign partners?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 4. What percentage or proportion of the illicit activities
of transnational gangs and TCOs involve drug trafficking, human
trafficking, money laundering, and cyber crime? Separately, how much of
transnational gangs' and TCOs' illicit activities involve human
trafficking, money laundering, and cyber crime? Which transnational
gangs and TCOs committed the most serious crimes in fiscal year 2016
and fiscal year 2017, for instance, in terms of numbers of homicides,
amount and value of drugs trafficked, amount of human trafficking
conducted, amount of weapons trafficked, amount of money laundered, and
dollar value of fraud committed? Please list the top ten transnational
gangs and TCOs involved by each type of illicit activity.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 5. Threat reports state that there are more than 300
active Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs) who engage in violent crime,
weapons trafficking, and drug trafficking in the United States,
including along and across both the Northern and Southern Borders, as
well as in locations throughout the United States. Please provide
statistics on the numbers of crimes, cases, and investigations related
to OMGs.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Questions From Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson for Raymond Villanueva
Question 1. What are the largest Russian transnational gangs and
what are their main activities and crimes?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 2. How is your department trying to combat Russian cyber
crimes, including those perpetrated by Russian and Eurasian
transnational gangs, and/or Russia-linked actors working with these
gangs?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 3. How does your department prioritize which transnational
gangs, and which of their illicit activities, to combat? What common
metrics are used by your department to communicate across the
interagency to measure the threat posed by various gangs? What metrics
are most commonly used in information sharing with foreign partners?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 4. What percentage or proportion of the illicit activities
of transnational gangs and TCOs involve drug trafficking, human
trafficking, money laundering, and cyber crime? Separately, how much of
transnational gangs' and TCOs' illicit activities involve human
trafficking, money laundering, and cyber crime? Which transnational
gangs and TCOs committed the most serious crimes in fiscal year 2016
and fiscal year 2017, for instance, in terms of numbers of homicides,
amount and value of drugs trafficked, amount of human trafficking
conducted, amount of weapons trafficked, amount of money laundered, and
dollar value of fraud committed? Please list the top ten transnational
gangs and TCOs involved by each type of illicit activity.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 5. Threat reports state that there are more than 300
active Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs) who engage in violent crime,
weapons trafficking, and drug trafficking in the United States,
including along and across both the Northern and Southern Borders, as
well as in locations throughout the United States. Please provide
statistics on the number and type of indictments, arrests, and
investigations related to OMGs. Please also provide statistics on the
numbers of crimes, cases, and investigations related to OMGs, including
as relates to information sharing with Canadian and Mexican officials
on the illicit activities of OMGs across both our Northern and Southern
Borders.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 6. Your testimony described 32,000 criminal arrests, of
which more than 4,800 were gang members. Were there particular TCOs of
concern among the other arrests, and if so, which groups constituted
the greatest number of arrests? Of the 4,800 gang members, how many
were from MS-13, and how many were from other groups?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 7. Your testimony mentioned that ICE seized more than
900,000 pounds of narcotics. Which five forms of narcotics were most
prominent (by dollar value of narcotics seized)? What percentage of the
seizures occurred along the Southern Border versus along the Northern
Border?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 8. What percentage of the human trafficking and child
exploitation activity, per your testimony, that ICE identified occurred
within the United States, and what percentage occurred along our
Northern and Southern Borders, respectively? Which transnational gangs
and TCOs were most heavily involved in human trafficking? Please list
the top ten transnational gangs and TCOs involved.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 9. You stated in your testimony that a successful joint
task force model is the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST),
and that in fiscal year 2017, BEST teams initiated more than 4,000
investigations and made nearly 5,000 criminal arrests. Which
transnational gangs and TCOs accounted for the largest number of
arrests, and what proportion of the activity you mentioned occurred
along our Northern and Southern Borders?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 10. Your testimony noted that Operation Community Shield
resulted in the arrests of nearly 60,000 gang members and associates
since 2005. In your testimony, you identified there were 7,800 gang
members arrested who were affiliated with MS-13. Which other
transnational gangs and TCOs accounted for the most arrests? Please
list the top ten transnational gangs and TCOs by number of arrests.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 11. Your testimony stated that without information sharing
with Federal, State, local, and foreign law enforcement partners, ICE
would not be nearly as successful at battling MS-13 and other gangs.
Other than working with Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, which
countries have you been working most closely with, and what
transnational gangs have you been targeting? Please provide a list of
the top 20 countries with whom you are working globally, and the nature
of the information sharing, to include which transnational gangs or
TCOs are a particular focus.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 12. You praised the role of Operation CITADEL in
disrupting and dismantling TCOs in fiscal year 2017. Of the 54
indictments and nine convictions as a result of this program, which
transnational gangs and TCOs were the main culprits whose members were
indicted and convicted?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Questions From Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson for Richard Glenn
Question 1. What are the largest Russian transnational gangs whose
operations are affecting the United States globally and what are their
main activities and crimes?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 2. How is your department trying to combat Russian cyber
crimes, including those perpetrated by Russian and Eurasian
transnational gangs, and/or Russia-linked actors working with those
transnational gangs?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 3. How does your department prioritize which transnational
gangs, and which of their illicit activities, to combat? What common
metrics are used by your department to communicate across the
interagency to measure the threat posed by various gangs? What metrics
are most commonly used in information sharing with foreign partners?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 4. Of your information-sharing programs globally, what
percentage are focused on transnational gangs' and TCOs' involvement in
drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, and cyber crime?
Which transnational gangs and TCOs committed the most serious crimes in
fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2017, for instance, in terms of
numbers of homicides, amount and value of drugs trafficked, amount of
human trafficking conducted, amount of weapons trafficked, amount of
money laundered, and dollar value of fraud committed? Please list the
top ten transnational gangs and TCOs active in the United States and
along both our Northern and Southern Borders. Please note and explain
if there are countries (for instance, China and Russia) from which we
have faced particular difficulty obtaining actionable information as
part of our efforts to counter transnational gangs and TCOs.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 5. How many FTEs in your department are working on
combating transnational gangs and TCOs, and how does your department
prioritize and track its caseload in terms of the most serious threats?
Does your department have the resources it needs to devote to this
threat? If not, what resources are needed, including in terms of
budget, personnel, and technological resources?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 6. The National Gang Report stated that gangs continue to
expand their partnerships with other criminal organizations in order to
widen their networks. Please describe the degree of overlap that exists
between transnational gangs and transnational organized crime. Please
include Russian, Eurasian, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African organized
crime activities along both our Northern and Southern Borders, as well
as entities such as Hizbollah that may be active in partnership with
transnational gangs.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 7. In your testimony, you described the importance of the
Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Has State
Department funding for this initiative declined, remained constant, or
increased? What were the amounts of funding requested for CARSI in
fiscal year 2015, 2016, and 2017?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 8. You stated that our strong security partnership with
Mexico, including efforts under the Merida Initiative, have included
enhancing information sharing to disrupt transnational crime and TCOs.
Has State Department funding for this initiative declined, remained
constant, or increased? What were the amounts of funding requested for
the Merida Initiative in fiscal year 2015, 2016, and 2017?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 9. Your testimony mentioned the success of asset
forfeiture and financial task forces in 2017. Which gangs and
transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) were you able to disrupt
with this focus on assets and finances? Please be sure to include
assets of transnational gangs and TCOs disrupted globally, to include
not only groups primarily active along the Southern Border, but also
TCOs, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs) and Russian, Eurasian, Asian,
Middle Eastern, and African criminal networks active elsewhere in the
United States and across or along one or both of our Northern and
Southern Borders.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.