MS-13 gang member arrested in New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. - An MS-13 gang member from El Salvador was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Orange, N.J. Police Department.

Mauricio Antonio Alvarenga-Vasquez, 19, was administratively arrested at his residence in West Orange, N.J. He is in ICE custody without bond in New Jersey. If ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) will enforce the judge's order.

"Violent street gangs pose a serious public safety concern to our communities," said Andrew McLees, acting special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Newark. "ICE agents and officers in New Jersey, working closely with the West Orange, N.J. Police Department, were able to identify, locate and arrest this known gang member."

ICE HSI covers a broad range of areas, including national security threats, transnational gangs, financial and smuggling violations (including illegal arms exports), financial crimes, commercial fraud, human trafficking, narcotics smuggling, child pornography/exploitation and immigration fraud.

ICE ERO enforces the nation's immigration laws in a fair and effective manner. It identifies and arrests removable aliens, detains these individuals when necessary, and removes them from the United States. ICE prioritizes the arrests and removal of convicted criminal aliens, those aliens who pose a threat to national security, immigration fugitives, and recent border entrants.

Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE.