FBI Director’s First Big Move: 39 Arrested, Including Top MS-13 Leader

In a powerful first act as FBI Director, Kash Patel has shaken the nation with a bold announcement—his team has just executed a major gang bust along U.S. borders. The arrest of 39 individuals, including high-ranking members of the infamous MS-13 gang, marks a defining moment in Patel’s leadership.

During a live social media briefing, Patel revealed that the FBI’s Virginia Homeland Security Taskforce led the operation. “Today, the FBI took decisive action,” he said, emphasizing the commitment to “secure the border and enforce immigration laws.”

But the highlight? The capture of David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman, a 27-year-old alleged MS-13 kingpin, in Hyattsville, Maryland. Authorities say he was coordinating violent criminal operations not only in the U.S., but also across Mexico and Europe.

This arrest, Patel noted, sends a message: criminal networks will be dismantled, no matter how far their reach extends.

With political reactions pouring in, Patel’s bold start is already stirring fierce debate. But one thing is clear—the FBI is taking a harder stance than ever on border-related crime and gang violence.