Street gangs have been part of American culture for centuries. As a young child growing up in the 1980s in North Fort Worth, Texas, I witnessed a lot of gang activity and the violence associated with it. Little did I know that a notorious and deadly gang was morphing, known as Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13. What began as a street gang, MS-13 is now active throughout much of the United States and, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is "one of the largest gangs the most violent and fastest growing transnational street groups. The American people must realize the great danger that MS-13 represents. Because some street gangs are relatively harmless, others, like Mara Salvatrucha, become more ferocious and territorial. The beginnings of MS-13 date back to Los Angles in the 1980s. * Initially, Salvadoran families fled their country to escape the civil war, "which left more than 70,000 dead and displaced a fifth of the population." population ". (Abadinsky, 188). “El Salvador is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, with almost half of its population living in poverty. » (Abadinsky, 188). With the United States known as the land of opportunity, the combination of war and poverty was a good reason for Salvadorans to enter the United States and call it "home." Initially, members of the Mara Salvatrucha were a group of Salvadorans who "ran together for support and protection against other gangs already present in Los Angles..." (Kindt, Post and Schneider, 248). Common initiation into a gang for a potential member is being beaten by multiple gang members, also called "jumps" described in Gangs and Law Enforcement. (Schmidt, 39 years old). Immediately these new gang members were introduced...in the middle of the newspaper......the most threatening terrorist networks and criminal gangs. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN. 2009. Print.Mitchell, Mitch. "Star-Telegram: 67 gang members arrested in North Texas". June 14, 2011. the web. November 11, 2011. “MS 13 GANG.COM: MS 13 in Texas. » January 2010. The web. November 11, 2011. < http://ms13gang.com/index.html >Schmidt, Linda M.. “Gangs and Law Enforcement.” Charles C. Thomas - PUBLISHER, LTD. 2007. Print. Wilber, Del Quentin. “The Washington Post: The Crime Scene.” January 11, 2010. the web. November 11, 2011. < http://voices.washingtonpost.com/crime-scene/gangs/ms-13-gang-out-to-kill-rape-an.html>* No specific reference provided since this information is practically in all sources and becomes common knowledge after doing a lot of reading on the subject.