The violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TDA), has expanded its operations in the United States, exploiting the border crisis to establish a criminal foothold. This brutal gang, formed in Venezuela’s Aragua state, is responsible for a series of heinous crimes, including a murder in Doral, Florida, and the shooting of two New York City police officers. A multi-state sex-trafficking ring connected to TDA was also dismantled by law enforcement in Louisiana.
TDA’s rise in the U.S. is tied to the influx of Venezuelans illegally crossing the border under President Joe Biden’s administration. Many TDA members followed this wave of migrants, leveraging the chaos to infiltrate the country. The gang has deep ties to the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela, where they act as enforcers and control much of the criminal underworld.
The Biden administration has been alerted to the threat posed by TDA, but according to a source within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the issue has not been adequately addressed. The source expressed frustration, stating, “It’s frustrating that no matter the indicators we have about possible TDA members or affiliates, the emphasis on processing, and not enforcement, remains the same.”