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The Wall Street Journal published a chilling report last week highlighting the spread of a violent and deadly Venezuelan gang throughout the United States.
The Tren de Aragua gang, known for dismembering rivals from Chile to Colombia, first appeared to be contained in Latin America. However, officials now say the gang is spreading fast in the United States, and has operations in multiple major cities, including Miami, Chicago, New York City and across Texas.
Below are excerpts from the WSJ report:
Founded in a Venezuelan prison where it ran a zoo, swimming pool, disco, restaurant and bar, the Tren de Aragua has grown into a fearsome transnational criminal force in less than a decade—“MS-13 on steroids,” as one federal official put it, referring to the Central American gang that is entrenched in many U.S. communities. The specter of crime caused by immigrants has become a major theme in the presidential campaign, with former President Donald Trump calling out “migrant crime” repeatedly.
Just as the Italian mafia followed the 19th century wave of immigration to the U.S., Tren de Aragua has emigrated alongside nearly eight million Venezuelans fleeing the reign of strongman Nicolás Maduro. Everywhere Tren de Aragua has set up, investigators say, it has established drug-distribution networks, extortion rackets and prostitution rings, preying on Venezuelans as they make new homes elsewhere in Latin America.
American officials fear the same pattern emerging in the U.S., where more than 700,000 Venezuelans have settled in the past four years. Tren de Aragua members are suspects in the shooting of two New York police officers, the killing of a former Venezuelan police officer in South Florida, and crimes from Chicago to Texas, law-enforcement authorities said.
In all, there are now more than 100 investigations in the U.S. involving suspected members of Tren de Aragua, said a high-ranking Immigration and Customs Enforcement official.
Former President Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, reacted to the report on Tuesday, writing in a Truth Social post, “I called this four years ago, and it’s only going to get worse – unless I’m elected, in which case this Migrant problem will go away, FAST!”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced on Monday that he has designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization.
Today, I announced that Texas is aggressively targeting the dangerous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
I also designated them as a foreign terrorist organization.
We are a law-and-order state, and we will defend Texas from this threat.
More: https://t.co/4zQk0FPxmb pic.twitter.com/EUrn0z3qlO
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) September 16, 2024
“Yesterday, I announced Texas is launching a statewide operation to go after the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.@TxDPS will coordinate with federal and local partners through Texas Anti-Gang Centers to stop these dangerous criminals. Our #1 priority is keeping Texans safe,” Abbott announced.
Yesterday, I announced Texas is launching a statewide operation to go after the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.@TxDPS will coordinate with federal and local partners through Texas Anti-Gang Centers to stop these dangerous criminals.
Our #1 priority is keeping Texans safe. pic.twitter.com/LHH9lQaLt0
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 17, 2024
A super violent transnational Venezuelan gang comes to America (WSJ reporting).
These “newcomers” invited in by Kamala sure seem like swell new neighbors for us! pic.twitter.com/eNMtHlNtWZ
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) September 18, 2024
A Venezuelan Gang Is Expanding Its Deadly Reach to the U.S.
“Tren de Aragua involvement is suspected in 100 U.S. cases, bringing its violent brand of robbery and drug trafficking north” https://t.co/YN6ppn0lvj
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) September 12, 2024
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