“These aren’t people, these are animals. And we’re taking them out of the country at a rate that’s never happened before.” This quote was President Trump’s response to a question on MS-13 transnational gang members from a California sheriff who disagrees with her state’s recent so-called “sanctuary” protections for dangerous illegal immigrants.
Predictably, many in the mainstream media, including the New York Times and Andrea Mitchell of NBC reported that Trump called all illegal immigrants “animals,” even though it was exceedingly clear to any fair observer that his statement impugned specifically MS-13 criminals. But even once that point was clarified (Associated Press was forced to issue an official retraction on its first misbegotten reporting), some on the Left still protested. Most notably, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., pushed back at the president. As an aside, Pelosi amazingly sees much value in the life of MS-13 cretins, but none in innocent babies in the womb.
On Wednesday, Trump traveled to Long Island for a round table discussion on transnational gangs. That community has been particularly terrorized by MS-13, which is responsible for as many as 25 murders there over the last two years. Trump arrived with national leaders such as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and met with local law enforcement as well as the surviving family members of victims of MS-13 violence.
During the event, the only real objection to Trump’s “animal” statement was the apparent unfairness to animals. As far as I know, no animals purposely torture, prey, and seek maximum shock value the way MS-13 does. This gang, with its ISIS-like tactics, is the most violent and reprehensible crime organization to ever operate in the United States. For example, last year 15-year-old Nisa Mickens and 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas were found dead near a Long Island playground. Their murders with bats and machetes were so gruesome that they were barely recognizable. Their “crime” was allegedly disrespecting local MS-13 members on social media. Kayla’s mother Evelyn Rodriguez participated in the roundtable and was also the president’s personal guest at his last State of the Union address.
Predictably, critics of this administration cry racism and portend that targeting MS-13 somehow represents a dog-whistle appeal to anti-Latino sentiments. In point of fact, the exact opposite is true. Why? Because most often the victims of this monstrous gang are themselves Hispanic Americans. Sadly, Kayla Cuevas is only one of many Hispanic young Americans slaughtered. For example, the funeral of slain Long Island 16-year-old Justin Llivicura was packed with mourners from his family’s Ecuadoran community. Far from targeting Hispanics, Trump takes bold action to protect our communities!
Among such bold action was last fall’s ICE “Operation Raging Bull” which targeted the most dangerous MS-13 gangsters in America. Of the 214 arrested, 198 were not American citizens and only five of that group had permission to be in our country. Acting ICE Director Tom Homan declared he will not rest until every MS-13 member is “held accountable for their crimes, and those in this country illegally have been removed.”
Sophisticated gangs like MS-13 have proven very adept at manipulating giant loopholes in our immigration statutes that must be closed. Since 2014, more than 200,000 unaccompanied minors have arrived at our border and been automatically admitted to the United States. Our well-intentioned law sought to protect abandoned and vulnerable children fleeing danger. But unfortunately, many 16- and 17- year-old hardened gangsters from places like El Salvador and Honduras now know that the UAC (Unaccompanied Alien Children) permissions largely grant free entry into the United States, where too many of them reunite with their MS-13 brethren to exploit and torment our country.
For centuries, millions of Latin Americans have fled the corruption and danger that all too often characterizes our neighbors to the south. My own father was one of those legal migrants. The 60 million Hispanic citizens of America represent a treasure to our country. We cannot allow Hispanic Americans, or any Americans, to become accustomed to the fear of heartless gangs. Thank goodness, President Trump fights these “animals” on our behalf.
Steve Cortes is a CNN Political Commentator, Trump 2016 campaign adviser, and member of the Trump Hispanic Advisory Council.
