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.
