All federal prisons in the US have been placed on lockdown after a gang fight left two inmates dead at a facility in Texas.
It is rare for such a measure to apply to the entire federal prison system.
In a statement, the bureau said that for "safety and security reasons" it would not provide further details on its decision, adding only that it believed the measure would be "short-lived".
The violence at the Beaumont facility in Texas, which has a prison population of 1,372, reportedly involved members of the MS-13 street gang - a brutal group established in Los Angeles which has roots in El Salvador.
The Mexican Mafia is believed to have up to 300 members in the prison system. According to the FBI, the gang comprises of current and former convicts who hold positions of power within facilities and offer protection and deal in drugs.
The FBI estimates that the group has up to 10,000 members in the US, making it one of the largest criminal enterprises in the country.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60090865
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
