A growing security threat to the United States, Mexico, and Central America is the Mara Salvatrucha and 18th Street gangs. The diversification of these gangs into drug and human smuggling has put more money into the hands of the gang leadership. El Salvador’s weak state created a breeding ground for the development of criminal violence, in particular the Mara Salvatrucha and the 18th Street gangs. Due to fleeing immigrants from El Salvador, these gangs have found new homes in both Central America and the United States bringing with them terror and violence. This article describes the infiltration of the Mara Salvatrucha street gang into the United States, Central America, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico (south and north). In addition to the threat of the Mara Salvatrucha, Islamists are creating relationships with gangs involved in human trafficking across the United States and Mexican border. This has the potential to create a major security concern for Americans. Ultimately, Los Mara Salvatrucha and other similar type gangs pose a serious threat to border security for Mexico, Central America, and the United States. Mara Salvatrucha recruits and manipulates vulnerable youth. These youth provide fresh blood and expendable assets for the gang. The question to further address is how the United States, Mexico, and Central American governments will react to this increasing threat. 24 Endnotes