The recent incident involving the Tren de Aragua’s JV squad, known as the pint-sized Diablos of 42nd Street, has brought to light the issue of progressive state and city policies that empower juvenile street gangs. These policies not only allow older gang members to recruit kids but also create a breeding ground for criminal activity.
The Biden-era open-borders policies have allowed groups like Tren de Aragua to establish a presence in New York City. However, it is the city’s own policies that have contributed to the rise of juvenile gangs like the Little Devils. These migrant thugs, aged 12 to 17, were involved in a brutal attack on two NYPD cops in Times Square during a “wolf-pack-style” mugging over the weekend.
According to the police, the Little Devils robbery crew is allegedly led by a 12-year-old mastermind and has more than 34 known members with over 240 arrests among them. Despite their criminal activities, these young offenders are required to have their cases adjudicated in Family Court, where judges are often reluctant to remand them to juvenile detention.
The immunity granted to these underage offenders in Family Court only serves to encourage adult gang members to recruit more children into their criminal enterprises. This is a direct result of misguided reforms like the Raise the Age law, which have unintended consequences.
Despite the alarming rise in youth gun violence, some politicians are unwilling to acknowledge the role of criminal justice reforms in exacerbating the problem. Last year, Democrats ousted Albany DA David Soares for speaking out against the state’s flawed policies.
While the focus may be on deporting career-criminal Tren gang-groomers, the issue goes beyond just asylum seekers. Teens and even tweens who are caught with loaded weapons or involved in violent crimes should not be treated with leniency. Police and prosecutors must be able to address them as the threats to society that they have become.
In a recent press conference, Mayor Eric Adams called on city and state lawmakers to choose a side in the fight against criminal activity. It remains to be seen if any of the candidates in the city’s Democratic mayoral primary will stand with the mayor in demanding that the Legislature stop siding with the criminal class and prioritize public safety.
