Gang tattoos of incarcerated MS-13 member Daniel Flores, Abilene, TX, 2006. Getty // Robert Nickelsberg
Q1. Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, is an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles in the 1980s to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs in the area.
Over time, the gang grew into a more traditional criminal organization. Its 10,000 US members comprise about 1% of total gang members in the US, and MS-13 has a similar share of gang murders.
On the first day of President Trump's second term, he declared MS-13 and other transnational gangs Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
Generally speaking, which gangs do you think should be designated Terrorist Organizations?
Over time, the gang grew into a more traditional criminal organization. Its 10,000 US members comprise about 1% of total gang members in the US, and MS-13 has a similar share of gang murders.
On the first day of President Trump's second term, he declared MS-13 and other transnational gangs Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
Generally speaking, which gangs do you think should be designated Terrorist Organizations?
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Transnational
12%
17%
8%
12%
10%
13%
32%
6%
13%
7%
12%
Domestic (US only)
3%
4%
2%
3%
7%
2%
6%
5%
1%
2%
3%
Both
65%
65%
66%
85%
49%
49%
43%
56%
72%
76%
65%
Neither
13%
10%
15%
0%
27%
23%
18%
22%
7%
10%
13%
Don't know
6%
3%
9%
0%
7%
12%
0%
10%
6%
5%
6%
Don't care
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Q2. Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador who in 2012, at the age of 16, immigrated illegally to the US. In 2019, he was arrested for "loitering" (he says looking for day work) in a Home Depot parking lot, and according to police was wearing clothing "indicative of Hispanic gang culture." The police also said they were advised by a "reliable source" that Abrego Garcia was an active member of MS-13.
The Dept of Homeland Security moved to deport Abrego Garcia due to his illegal status. He then applied for asylum claiming threat of gang violence in El Salvador, and an immigration judge agreed with his claim and granted him withholding of removal status, which allowed him to live and work legally in the US.
Last month, immigration officers arrested Abrego Garcia, accused him of being a member of MS-13, and deported him to a Salvadoran prison.
Garcia denies he is a member of MS-13 or any other gang, and there was no trial to ascertain his gang status. The Constitution provides that anyone accused of a crime in the US must be afforded due process, meaning getting a hearing in court as to their guilt or innocence.
Do you think Abrego Garcia should have been given a hearing as to his gang membership before being deported?
The Dept of Homeland Security moved to deport Abrego Garcia due to his illegal status. He then applied for asylum claiming threat of gang violence in El Salvador, and an immigration judge agreed with his claim and granted him withholding of removal status, which allowed him to live and work legally in the US.
Last month, immigration officers arrested Abrego Garcia, accused him of being a member of MS-13, and deported him to a Salvadoran prison.
Garcia denies he is a member of MS-13 or any other gang, and there was no trial to ascertain his gang status. The Constitution provides that anyone accused of a crime in the US must be afforded due process, meaning getting a hearing in court as to their guilt or innocence.
Do you think Abrego Garcia should have been given a hearing as to his gang membership before being deported?
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Yes
56%
46%
65%
13%
73%
96%
78%
62%
47%
53%
56%
No
41%
51%
33%
83%
23%
3%
22%
36%
49%
44%
41%
Don't know
2%
1%
2%
2%
2%
1%
0%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Don't care
1%
1%
0%
1%
2%
0%
0%
0%
2%
1%
1%
Q3. In March, a federal judge found that Abrego Garcia was illegally deported without due process and ordered the Trump administration to return him from El Salvador by April 7.
The Trump administration appealed, and on April 10 the Supreme Court ruled the lower court "properly requires the Government to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador." It went on to say "the district court should clarify its directive, with due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs."
The Trump administration has not returned Abrego Garcia, saying they have no control now that he is in El Salvador and that the Supreme Court said they didn't have to return him as per "deference owed to executive branch in foreign affairs."
Did the Supreme Court rule that the government must bring Abrego Garcia back to the US, and do you think they will?
The Trump administration appealed, and on April 10 the Supreme Court ruled the lower court "properly requires the Government to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador." It went on to say "the district court should clarify its directive, with due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs."
The Trump administration has not returned Abrego Garcia, saying they have no control now that he is in El Salvador and that the Supreme Court said they didn't have to return him as per "deference owed to executive branch in foreign affairs."
Did the Supreme Court rule that the government must bring Abrego Garcia back to the US, and do you think they will?
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Don't care
2%
2%
2%
3%
2%
0%
0%
0%
3%
3%
2%
43% said Trump admin was right to deport alleged gang members w/o due process, 56% said it was wrong
51% said Trump admin had already defied court order to return him (another 17% said they would in the future)
47% said said if /when the Trump admin defied a court order it wouldn't be enforec, 21% said would
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