The Mexican Mafia (also known as La Eme) is an egalitarian-structured organization, formed in the late 1950’s by Chicano street gang members incarcerated at the Deuel Vocational institution, a state prison located in Tracy, CA. La Eme was initially formed for protection against other inmates. With a set of rules governing its members, La Eme evolved into criminal activities. Most of their criminal activities initially focused on victimizing Black and Caucasian inmates. By the late 1960’s, the California Prison system became aware of La Eme’s criminal activity and broke up the group. Prison officials relocated the members to different prisons, which only helped the group to continue active recruitment of new members. This allowed the gang to take control of the California Prisons. Symbols include a black hand, La Eme (meaning 'the M' in Spanish) and MM (Mexican Mafia). As Eme members paroled to the streets, they were tasked with creating new cells to help facilitate more crime. In addition, paroled members explained the North versus South war occurring in prison to the young street gang members. The youngsters were told that when they did enter the prison system that they should align themselves with the other Sureños. The term Sureño was soon adopted by Hispanic street gang members throughout Southern California. Although some might identify themselves as being a Sureño gang member, the original meaning of the term denotes an umbrella of gangs who fall under the control of the Mexican Mafia. Sureño sets may have conflict with other Sureño gangs on the streets, yet in prison they will bond together for protection under the leadership of the Mexican Mafia. Sureño street gang members often identify with the symbols XIII, X3, 13, and 3-dots (hand to the left). This refers to the 13th letter of the alphabet "M" which stands for Mexican Mafia. The gang identifies with the color blue and the words Sureño, Sur and Southerner.
The Mexican Mafia does not have a traditional military style “chain-of-command, instead it has “influential” members. All members vote on decisions affecting the entire gang. If the decision is limited to a particular institution, only those members vote. Each gang member, known as a carnal, has an equal vote. Each Mexican Mafia member has a great deal of autonomy in conducting business. As long as there is no conflict, a carnal is his own boss. He is expected to pay 1/3 of his illicit proceeds to the Mexican Mafia. If a Mexican Mafia member is in a prison or jail facility, he is required to assume control of all Sureños inmates. Sureños are expected to carry out Mexican Mafia orders without question. The Mexican Mafia also maintains working relationships with various other prison gangs and "disruptive groups" such as Aryan Brotherhood, Nazi Low Riders, Peckerwoods, Border Brothers, and Sinaloan Cowboys. For example, Mexican Mafia and Aryan Brotherhood members cooperate in smuggling drugs into Custody facilities and have assisted each other in armed robberies and drug trafficking outside custody facilities.
In the 1990’s, the EME expanded its drug distribution operations by ordering an end to drive-by shootings involving Hispanic street gang members and eventually ordering an end to rivalries among Hispanic gangs as well. This allowed the gangs to focus on drug distribution. Subsequently, the Mexican Mafia demanded that all Sureño affiliated gang members pay a tribute of as much as 33 percent of drug distribution profits. Sureño gangs either complied with the order, or they were targeted for killing (given a green light) by the Mexican Mafia.
Traditionally, membership is limited to Mexican American males. There is no minimum age. A prospective Eme member must be sponsored by at least three current gang members. Membership usually requires a unanimous vote by gang members throughout the California and federal prison systems. However, because communication among EME members is difficult, the Mexican Mafia in some facilities requires only a unanimous vote among those gang members at the facility. Recruits are selected carefully, as the sponsors are held liable for their prospect's actions. Sometimes, to prove himself worthy of membership, a prospect may be required to commit an act of violence for Mexican Mafia. While it is not a requirement for induction, all Eme members are expected to eventually kill for the clicka. Women are not permitted to join Mexican Mafia. Wives, girlfriends, and other female family members, however, play important roles within the organization because they smuggle contraband, including drugs and weapons, into the prison and provide a means of communication between incarcerated members and members on the street.
