U.S. authorities on Thursday said the MS-13’s top leader on the East Coast was captured by federal agents in Northern Virginia.
Officials said the 24-year-suspect, who was not identified, was taken into custody in Woodbridge, Virginia, with the help of the FBI, ICE and ATF, as well as Virginia State Police and Prince William County police.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi did not say what charges the suspect is facing as of now, but assured he is one of the Salvadoran gang’s top three leaders in the U.S. and had a hand in some of MS-13’s most violent crimes.
“Thanks to the FBI, we got one of the worst of the worst of MS-13 off the streets this morning.” Ms. Bondi told Fox News at the scene of the arrest.
The news was quickly celebrated by President Trump as well.
“Just captured a major leader of MS13. Tom HOMAN is a superstar!” Mr. Trump, a Republican, wrote on social media.
Ms. Bondi also rebuked the “sanctuary” policies implemented by many of the counties in the D.C. area’s Virginia suburbs, which bar local police from notifying federal authorities after the arrest of an illegal immigrant.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, said he added an amendment to the state’s proposed budget that would withhold funding from counties that don’t comply with ICE detainer requests.
