NM sees more white supremacist gangs

KRQE -  New Mexico's prisons have seen a rise in white supremacist gang membership as some inmates seek protection against largely Hispanic gangs, according to state officials. State numbers show that membership in white supremacist gangs has doubled in prisons during the past 10 years, and state officials worry the numbers may keep climbing. "Membership is increasing in white supremacist gangs affiliated with those in Texas and Arizona," said Dwayne Santistevan, administrator of New Mexico's Security Threat Intelligence Unit. "We think they're banning together for protection against Hispanic gangs." The start estimates there are about 160 inmates connected to white supremacist gangs like the Aryan Brotherhood and Nazi Low Riders. Ten years ago, state prisons had only around 60 to 70 members connected to such gangs, Santistevan said. "The gangs are getting their membership from inmates from Farmington, Carlsbad, Ruidoso and Alamogordo," Santistevan said. "It's kind of puzzling." Santistevan said at least two Hispanic inmates had been identified as belonging to a white supremacist gang. Prison officials can easily identify members of such gangs through tattoos of swastikas, Hitler's birthdate and other racist symbols. Still, white supremacist gang membership is small compared to the overall gang population in New Mexico prisons. Of the 6,500 inmates in those lockups, 40 percent are connected to mainly Latino gangs. Read More News New Mexico

NM sees more white supremacist gangs