John Brecthel, the assistant district director for INS investigations in Los Angeles at the time, said, “If a gang member is out on the street and the police can’t make a charge, we will go out and deport them for being here illegally if they fit that criteria.” Between December 1988 and April 1989, the effort led to 175 deportations for alleged involvement in “gang and narcotics activities,” including seventy-seven to Mexico, fifty-six to El Salvador, and fifteen to Honduras. The task force claimed to have “decimated” MS-13 leadership.
