[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9928 of September 13, 2019

National Gang Violence Prevention Week, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

My Administration has successfully indicted, convicted, imprisoned, and
removed from our country ruthless members of gangs and cartels who
inflict horrendous acts of violence upon Americans. During National Gang
Violence Prevention Week, my Administration renews its dedication to
identifying and dismantling the criminal networks that seek to wreak
havoc on our communities and to bringing the individuals who participate
in them to justice. We also reaffirm our support for the heroes of law
enforcement who have taken a sacred pledge to defend the Nation and its
people.
Our Nation's law enforcement officers are the first line of defense
against acts of evil perpetrated by gang members. My Administration has
increased efforts and has devoted considerable resources to catching,
prosecuting, and removing these criminals from our streets. We have made
tremendous strides by partnering with State, local, and tribal law
enforcement to implement new initiatives, such as Project Safe
Neighborhoods, that have been successful in creating safer communities
through targeted and sustained reductions in gang violence. Because of
these efforts, the Department of Justice (DOJ) brought more cases
against violent criminals in fiscal year 2018 than ever before. The
record progress we have achieved is the result of our tough stance
against crime as well as the bravery and hard work of law enforcement
officials.
My Administration is also aggressively combating transnational criminal
organizations that bring mayhem across our borders and into our country.
On our southern border especially, gangs are heavily involved in murder,
extortion, narcotics, and weapons trafficking, human smuggling and
trafficking, and other nefarious activities. In the first few weeks of
my Administration, I signed three executive orders to dismantle
transnational criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, to
reduce crime and restore public safety, and to enhance the safety of law
enforcement officers. The DOJ is also working with law enforcement in El
Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to help coordinate the fight against
MS-13, the 18th Street Gang, and other dangerous criminal organizations
that try to enter the United States in an effort to ravage our
communities. This partnership, called Operation Regional Shield, targets
gangs at the source and works to ensure that these criminals never reach
our borders. So far, the program has resulted in the indictment of more
than 7,000 criminal gang members. In the first 2 years of my
Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers made
266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged
or convicted of 100,000 assaults, nearly 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000
violent killings. My first duty is to care

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for our Nation's citizens, and my Administration remains committed to
securing the border and stopping criminal gangs, drug smugglers, and
human traffickers.
This week, we renew our pledge to defeat criminal gangs and protect our
Nation's communities from violent crime so that all Americans have the
opportunity to live in safety and peace. We express our deep gratitude
to the selfless men and women of our law enforcement agencies who risk
their lives protecting our communities. We also pay tribute to the
innocent victims of gang violence and pray for their families. Let us
honor them by redoubling our efforts to root out and eliminate brutal
gangs that threaten our society.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the week of September
15 through September 21, 2019, as ``National Gang Violence Prevention
Week.'' I call upon the people of the United States to observe this week
with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
fourth.
DONALD J. TRUMP