(The Center Square) – Homeland Security arrested 1,328 people it says are illegally in America on a sweep through Virginia and Maryland Aug. 1-14.

Among the charges filed, in addition to being unlawfully in the United States, were murder, attempted murder and rape. Lawmen and prosecutors say many of those taken away were members of transnational criminal street gangs that included MS-13, 18th Street Gang and Tren de Aragua.

To enter America from another country, if not a U.S. citizen, a visa or some other travel authorization is required to be presented at a port of entry.

Operation Safe Community – Washington, D.C. led to the detention of people already with convictions for sexual battery, kidnapping, driving while intoxicated, hit-and-run, identity theft and robbery.

Actions by federal lawmen included the whole of the two states, with a concentration in the suburbs of the nation’s capital. A similar effort around Atlanta in July led to the arrests of more than 1,200 people also illegally in the country, lawmen say.

In a statement, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said, “While sanctuary politicians in Virginia and Maryland keep putting the needs of illegal aliens over the safety of the American people, the Trump administration will always put American citizens first. By arresting and removing illegal aliens from our communities, we will make America safe again.”