In the 1990s, the United States started deporting members of what is considered to be America’s most dangerous gang. The Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, is a gang that originates with immigrants from El Salvador. When broken down, "Mara" is a Salvadoran word that translates to gang, and "Salvatrucha" translates to a "guy from Salvador. The number 13 was chosen because it is a popular gang number adopted by other Hispanic gangs. The gang’s roots can be traced back to East Los Angeles or more specifically MacArthur Park in the 1980s. Many young Salvadoran immigrants found themselves in a new land and without any family members to turn to. Lacking social support as well as jobs, this small group resorted to criminal activity such as theft to bring in income. The gang was originally comprised of teenage refugees coming from a country that was suffering from the aftermath of a civil war. Some had been forced to become members of the Salvadoran Army and thus already had experience in handling guns and possibly killing. With time this small gang grew; today, it is estimated that Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, has over 50,000 members. Unlike other gangs, this gang has become international. The gang has members throughout 34 states and in six countries. MS-13 continues to aggressively recruit new members. The gang’s recruiting efforts are highly organized. For example, in 1994 one of the members was found handing out business cards in a community in Los Angeles, California. The business card included his nickname and contact information.

Members of the MS-13 usually identify themselves with visible tattoos. Some have even gone as far as tattooing their face with tattoos that clearly identify them as members. They instill fear in many communities and have a reputation as being one of the most gruesome gangs. There are at least 100 FBI agents that are fully devoted to tracking down members of Mara Salvatrucha in the United States. Recently one gang member made it on to the most wanted list. Some of the ways that Mara Salvatrucha obtains income is by taking part in activities that include racketeering, extortion and human smuggling. Recently they have been under FBI investigation due to suspected shoplifting rings throughout the United States. The gang members are suspected of working closely with Middle Eastern individuals and of trafficking millions in stolen merchandise and medicine. Some of the states with the highest concentrations of MS-13 members include: California, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Georgia. After some Mara Salvatrucha members were arrested, authorities discovered them to be illegally in the U.S. Therefore, following an arrest, many gang members were deported back to their home country, which is predominantly located in Central America as many of the deportees are from El Salvador. While a small percentage will stay in Central America and recruit new members, the majority of the gang members who are illegal immigrants will make their way back to the United States. On their way back to the U.S., Salvadoran authorities cannot prevent them from returning since the MS-13 members tend to have no criminal record in El Salvador.

The Salvadoran police are having trouble dealing with the Mara Salvatrucha members at home. The presence of the gang is evident in graffiti and crimes committed throughout the country. Currently, the national prison system in El Salvador is overburdened by the increasing number of inmates. Salvadoran officials have an estimated 1,800 members of MS-13 in their prisons which outnumbers the members of all other Salvadoran gangs combined. Country officials claim that about 60% of gang members in their prison system fled the U.S. to prevent criminal prosecution or were deported by the U.S. In the course of only one decade, immigration authorities in the United States have deported an estimated 50,000 illegal immigrants back to Central America. who committed crimes What the United States once saw as a solution has backfired. It has allowed a gang like Mara Salvatrucha to propel itself into international growth. To deal with this problem the United States has said they will assemble stronger cases against MS-13 members and give them longer sentences before the illegal immigrants with criminal activities are deported to their respective countries. Other countries such as Honduras, Jamaica, Guyana, Cambodia, and the Dominican Republic among others have voiced their concerns regarding deportation to U.S. officials. Officials claim that deportees have contributed to increased criminal activities in their home countries.