MS-13: A Book Review and a Warning
As the U.S. revives fear-driven deportation tactics against Venezuelan migrants, Dudley’s account of MS-13 offers a crucial reminder of how these narratives begin - and the harm they cause.
1. Why This Book, Why Now
Yesterday, a newly declassified U.S. intelligence memo revealed that the Venezuelan government does not control the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, contradicting claims made by the Trump administration to justify deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. This is a startling and deeply problematic revelation, though one that should not be surprising to anyone who has studied the history of use of gang allegations in immigration policy over the decades generally, and by both Trump Administration, especially.
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