For all the attention paid to people coming from Central America, the United States sends a lot back to the region as well. Remittances, corn, and even... criminal gangs?

In this episode, Dr. Michael Paarlberg recounts the origins and operations of the gangs Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 (18th Street Gang) from the streets of Los Angeles, California to the prisons of Central America. As an unintended consequence of the growing deportation system, the United States has slowly fueled the region's deadly gang problem for the last thirty years. 

Credits

Guests: Dr. Michael Paarlberg, Assistant Professor of Political Science at VCU

Host: Joseph Flores

Producer: Joseph Flores

Sponsored by the Strauss Center for International Security and Law.

For the full interview text and more resources, visit the Tangled Roots website here.