The Tren de Aragua gang, a violent criminal group originating in Venezuela, has expanded its presence in the U.S. in recent years, partly due to former President Joe Biden’s more lenient border policies.
“We made this happen in a matter of three days,” Homan said. “They’re a welcome force multiplier for us, and it’s going to help us a great deal, especially on removal flights.”
Critics claim the result of the Biden administration policies is a big spike in crime and a human trafficking problem that even involves parentless children.
Sanctuary Cities Push Back
Some left-leaning mayors have opposed Trump’s deportation orders, emphasizing their cities’ status as “sanctuaries” for undocumented immigrants.
Homan urged these mayors to cooperate with federal law enforcement, warning that sweeping immigration operations may be necessary to apprehend criminals if local governments refuse to assist. “I hope the sanctuary cities come around,” he said. “I hope… once they see that we really are concentrated on the criminals, they’ll come to us and sit at the table and work with us.”
Policy Changes and Community Impact
Acting DHS Secretary Benjamin Huffman has issued two directives to support Trump’s deportation plan. The first removes restrictions on ICE and CBP operations in sensitive locations such as schools and churches. The second directive ends broad humanitarian parole programs in favor of case-by-case reviews, limiting temporary migrant entry into the U.S.
