ORLANDO, Fla. – A “known MS-13 illegal alien” was arrested after barricading himself inside an Orlando-area home on Friday, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a release, ICE officials said that the man had barricaded himself in response to a targeted arrest operation.
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“We appreciate our partners from the FBI and Florida Highway Patrol for their fantastic work during this intense situation,” the release reads.
According to federal officials, MS-13 is a violent transnational gang primarily made up of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, operating in the U.S. since at least the 1980s.
The name is shorthand for “Mara Salvatrucha,” which reportedly breaks down as follows:
- “Mara” is a term used in El Salvador for “gang.”
- “Salvatrucha” is a combination of “Salva” and “Trucha,” which roughly translate out to “Salvadoran” and “Cunning,” respectively.
- “13″ refers to the thirteenth letter of the alphabet (M), which denotes the gang’s allegiance to the Mexican Mafia, a prison gang.
While federal officials state that MS-13 got its start in Los Angeles, the gang has since spread throughout most of the country, with over 10,000 members in the U.S. as of 2017.
No additional information about Friday’s arrest has been provided at this time, including the identity of the suspect in question.