The Community Shield Program, or “Operation Community Shield,” is a joint law enforcement/ immigration effort that targets violent gang members and their associates. It focuses on those who are involved in the illegal drug and human trafficking industries in the United States.
The program has paid special attention to illegal aliens who are associated with street gangs and crime. It provides city, county and state law enforcement departments with broad powers to identify, detain, and remove (deport) aliens who are in the U.S. illegally and who have been found to be associated with criminal gang activity.
The Community Shield Program was adopted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2005. ICE is a subdivision of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The division of ICE that is most frequently involved in Community Shield operations is Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
HSI is responsible for investigating terrorists and other criminal organizations, as well as weapons and contraband smuggling, human smuggling, financial crimes and immigration crime. HSI’s National Gang Unit (NGU) is a key part of ICE’s mission to challenge transnational criminal gangs.
The NGU identifies and develops intelligence on gang membership, associations, activities and international movements. It also deters and disrupts gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from illicit activities.
What Do Operation Community Shield Investigators Do?
Operation Community Shield investigators accomplish many tasks. For instance, they may:
- Work with state and local law enforcement partners in the United States and abroad to develop a comprehensive and integrated approach to conducting criminal investigations and other law enforcement operations against gangs
- Identify violent street gangs and develop intelligence on their membership, criminal activities and international movements
- Disrupt and deter gang operations by seizing weapons, cash, and other assets resulting from criminal activities
- Seek prosecution of alien gang members and facilitate their removal from the United States
HSI special agents routinely work side-by-side with law enforcement partners in pursuit of racketeering influenced and corrupt organization (RICO), violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR) and Hobbs Act prosecutions in order to most effectively disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises
How Does the Community Shield Program Work?
The Operation Community Shield initiative supports local law enforcement efforts, including:
- Developing comprehensive approaches for conducting investigation of criminal drug-related activities, street gangs, and illegal alien involvement in such conduct
- Identifying violent street gangs and their members, partners, and associates, as well as their connection to international groups
- Deterring and disrupting gang conduct by tracing and seizing contraband, cash, weapons, and other assets used in criminal conduct
- Aggressively pursuing prosecution of illegal alien gang members in the U.S., and facilitating their removal from the country
- Gathering intelligence for the future prevention and investigation of gang and other criminal activities
- Raising community awareness of violent street gang activity, and of the efforts taken by law enforcement to ensure community safety
Under the Community Shield Program, state and local governments have greater power to create stronger enforcement measures for preventing criminal gang activity committed by foreign aliens. Each municipality remains independent, and may choose to take different measures depending on the needs of that particular community.
Has the Community Shield Program Been Effective?
The results from Operation Community Shield have been impressive, including more than 40,000 arrests and more than 8,000 firearms taken off the streets. The total value of all seizures, including narcotics, automobiles, real estate and cash is more than $100 million. In addition, more than 550 known and suspected gang leaders have been arrested through Operation Community Shield enforcement activities since 2005.
According to the National Drug Intelligence Center and other law enforcement sources, street gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs and prison gangs are the primary distributors of illegal drugs in the United States. Illegal aliens are heavily involved. For example, in its 2006 National Drug Threat Assessment report the Department of Justice stated that the increased availability of methamphetamines in the Northeast, Southeast, and Great Lakes regions of the country is greatly attributable to the proliferation of Hispanic gangs such as the Latin Kings and MS-13 in these areas.
In addition to efforts made by local police departments, through Operation Community Shield and the National Gang Unit (NGU) of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ICE and its law enforcement partners have also succeeded in combating threats to communities through a number of targeted, nationwide enforcement actions during the initiative’s first 10 years.
An example is Operation Crystal Palace, a pair of investigations conducted by the HSI San Diego Gang Investigations Group. It netted 82 arrests, more than 110 firearms, approximately 25 lbs. of methamphetamine, and nearly $100,000 in U.S. currency.
Other examples of Community Shield Programs include:
- Project Southern Tempest was a major Operation Community Shield operation targeting transnational street gang members with ties to drug cartels in Mexico. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit and officers from 173 cooperating federal, state and local law enforcement agencies arrested 678 individuals from 133 different gangs, in 168 cities across the nation.
- Of the 678 gang members arrested, 421 were foreign nationals. Eighty-six firearms, eight pounds of methamphetamine, thirty pounds of marijuana, one pound of cocaine, more than $70,000 and two vehicles were also seized.
- Project Wildfire was a nationwide, multi-agency investigation of various transnational criminal gangs that resulted in the arrests of 976 individuals, representing 239 different organizations, in 282 cities in the United States mainland and Puerto Rico. Firearms, methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, vehicles, and counterfeit merchandise were seized.
- Among arrests in other cities, in Lubbock, Texas HSI special agents and task force officers arrested gang members and associates from the Bloods, Crips, Rolling 60s, Mexican Mafia, Sureños, West Texas, Raza Unida, Aryan Brotherhood, White Aryan Resistance, West Side, Gangster Disciples, Peckerwood, Texas Syndicate and West Texas Tango.
- Project Shadowfire resulted in the arrest of 1,133 people, 915 of whom are suspected members of “multinational organized criminal gangs”, involved in drug smuggling, murder, racketeering, and human trafficking from Mexico and elsewhere.
- The majority of the arrests took place in Los Angeles and San Francisco in California; El Paso and Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
What if I or a Loved One Has Been Wrongfully Detained Due to the Shield Program?
An important criticism of Operation Community Shield is that it has led to the wrongful detention of innocent aliens because of racial profiling and stereotyping. Wrongful detention is a serious legal issue, and requires the assistance of an experienced immigration attorney.
If you or someone you know has been wrongfully detained under the Shield program, you may have several legal options to remedy the problem. It may be possible to contest the detention, or you may file for an appeal of any decisions. This needs to be done fairly quickly, since most detentions under the Shield program are also aimed at immediately removing the defending from the country.
Do I Need a Lawyer for Assistance With Issues Involving the Shield Program?
A lawyer can assist you if you have any legal issues related to the Community Shield Program. Your lawyer will be able to inform you of your rights, and can represent you if you are being summoned for an appearance in a criminal or immigration court.
The Community Shield Program can vary by jurisdiction, so you should inquire with a local immigration lawyer if you have any concerns or questions regarding the laws in your region.
