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Building on the success of his aggressive strategy to secure our southern border, Gov. Perry is addressing the growing threat of transnational gangs by applying the most effective resource in the Texas arsenal: more law enforcement "boots on the ground."”
Increased security along the Texas/Mexico border has forced the ever-expanding and diversifying Mexican crime cartels to increase their use of gangs, such as the Texas Syndicate, Mexican Mafia, Barrio Azteca and MS-13, to smuggle drugs and humans into Texas.
These transnational gangs operate in every region of the state, damaging Texas communities with a campaign of extortion, retail drug distribution, vehicle theft, child prostitution, money laundering and drive-by shootings. Recruiting in Texas schools and prisons, the gangs have continued to grow in size and sophistication, adapting quickly to thwart law enforcement efforts.
Gov. Perry’s approach is to sustain and expand current border security efforts while adding a new layer of gang interdiction. This effort will take the form of increased overtime pay for officers involved in anti-gang activities as well as funding for prosecutions of the criminals they arrest. Gov. Perry envisions a coordinated statewide law enforcement effort, bolstered with state-of-the-art intelligence gathering and supplemented with anti-gang education activities.
In the end, Gov. Perry’s goal is to cut off these deadly gangs’ ability to communicate, collaborate or intimidate, making Texas communities safer for all citizens.
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