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Texas Governor Greg Abbott has pointed to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, labeling them as responsible for the rise of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, in the U.S. streets. 

The violent group has gained a foothold across the country, with criminal activities linked to its members, many of whom have allegedly crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

In March alone, 100 suspected members of Tren de Aragua were apprehended during a single border rush in El Paso.

 Governor Abbott has expressed his concern about the ongoing immigration crisis, stating, “We’ve had under Biden and Harris more than 11 million individuals cross the border. We cannot go through another four more years of that.”

Expansion of Tren de Aragua

Tren de Aragua has established criminal networks in major cities, including New York City, Denver, Aurora, and Chicago. The gang has been directly tied to an increase in human trafficking and the fentanyl crisis across eight states: California, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, and Georgia.

Their criminal activities range from sex trafficking and drug smuggling to violent offenses such as police shootings.

The gang has reportedly been using migrant shelters in New York City as a base of operations, exploiting other migrants in the process.

Governor Abbott has linked the surge in violence and trafficking to lax immigration policies, stating, “This is all caused by Biden and Harris opening the door to people from Venezuela, including gangs. There’s no data that even the Biden administration has to consider whether people coming from Venezuela are gang members or not.”

Legacy of Crime

Tren de Aragua originated in Venezuela, a country from which thousands of migrants were being flown into the U.S. as part of a humanitarian program. This program was temporarily halted in July due to suspected fraud but later resumed.

“This is a very dangerous gang,” Abbott warned, revealing his state’s efforts to curb their activities.

He has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization and offered a $5,000 bounty for information leading to the capture of any of its members. “A lot of Americans and Texans didn’t know exactly what was going on, and so by doing what I’ve done, there’s now a greater understanding and realization about the fact that this dangerous gang is in the United States,” Abbott added.

Texas Border Security Plan

In recent years, Abbott has attempted to slow the migration of Venezuelan gangs and the influx of fentanyl through the southern border. However, he claims these efforts have been hampered by the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies.

To strengthen border security, Abbott approved the installation of barbed wire and buoys along dangerous stretches of the Rio Grande and has deployed the Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety to apprehend those crossing illegally. 

Despite these efforts, the Biden administration has legally challenged all his initiatives.

Abbott has voiced support for deportation programs proposed by former President Trump and sees the upcoming presidential election as a crucial turning point for the country. 

“There’s no way America can remain the country that we are if we have four more years of Kamala Harris,” Abbott stated. He also expressed his desire to collaborate with a future Trump administration to secure the border.