Dozens of alleged MS-13 gang members on Long Island in ICE custody, officials say
Dozens of alleged MS-13 gang members have been arrested on Long Island, and Nassau County officials say they're working with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to have many of them deported.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said a weeklong intensive search resulted in 42 arrests.
Nassau County officials combat spike in alleged gang violence
According to officials, the alleged gang members are responsible for a recent spike in crime. They believe a recent indictment may have triggered retaliation between rival gangs, and that a quick response will prevent it from getting out of control.
"We saw a little gang activity start up, and we said we're going to nip it in the bud. We're going to put it to an end immediately," Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.
Gang violence played out at a Hempstead park when a young parkgoer was mistaken for a rival, officials said.
"He was an innocent kid, suffers from a cognitive issue," Ryder said. "They tried to rob him. They hit him with the machete. And then this kid ran a good two miles chased by these thugs. So those thugs are now gonna be in jail."
Then, in early August, gang-on-gang violence including a home invasion, a stabbing and a shooting were met with a focused response.
"You're not going to poison our children with your evil works and evil doings here in Nassau County," Blakeman said.
"We promised in the beginning that we were going to go after the worst of the worst"
MS-13's presence on Long Island dates back more than a decade, officials say.
"This is like playing whack-a-mole. You poke your head up, we're going to knock it back down," Ryder said.
The 18th Street Gang is also allegedly responsible for a litany of local crimes, officials said.
"We promised in the beginning that we were going to go after the worst of the worst. You're looking at it," Ryder said.
ICE Assistant Field Office Director Brian Flanagan said 33 of the 42 offenders are in ICE custody without bond, pending removal.
"This is just a snapshot of the worst case scenario when our nation's immigration laws are not honored," he said.
Many of the defendants are represented by Legal Aid, which does not comment on arrests.