A document obtained by investigative journalist James O'Keefe states that the violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA) has established a significant presence in several American cities across the country, posing a serious threat to local, state, and federal law enforcement.
According to reports, the document was designated as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and was issued by the U.S. Army to Department of Defense (DOD) personnel across the country. The document states that the violent gang, made up of illegal immigrants, is employing advanced technology and surveillance to execute the criminal operations.
The threat advisory states that TdA "has established a presence in Brooklyn, Bronx, and Williamsburg, NY," with an estimated 400 gang members taking up residence in the boroughs. Additionally, the U.S. Army warned that the gang has forged close ties to Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
As reported by Law Enforcement Today, in Aurora, Colorado, Democratic lawmakers have seemingly dismissed reports that TdA has taken over apartment complexes. However, the threat advisory from the U.S. Army appears to confirm those incidents. The document also details an August 24th incident where it is believed that TdA members fired 19 rounds toward the Chapman Gate at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
The U.S. Army reiterated the DHS advisory warning local and state law enforcement about gang members being given the "green light" to target police in Denver, Colorado, and New York City. The threat advisory may also explain the increased presence of the National Guard and other military personnel in New York City because as noted in the document, the U.S Army's Threat Analysis Division (TAD) has high confidence that DOD employees and their family members could become victims of the gang.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sources claim that most of the TdA members present in the country crossed the border illegally through Texas between 2022 and 2023 and they were subsequently released by Border Patrol into the U.S. pending removal proceedings.
According to Fox News, senior border officials announced their efforts in targeting TdA as a priority after a surge in gang activity in both Texas and Colorado. Fox previously reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had distributed intelligence bulletins to agents revealing tattoos and identifiers for the gang. TdA is said to specialize in extortion, kidnapping, murder, and sex trafficking.
Federal authorities have been warning that the gang is trying to establish itself in the U.S., where police are already linking the group to organized crime. The FBI also warned that the gang could team up with the super violent gang, MS-13.
In Texas, the Dallas Police Department (DPD) said that it has seen gang activity in the north Dallas area linked to TdA. DPD Officer Michael Dennis said, "Our department is collaborating with other agencies to address possible crimes linked to this and other gangs in our city. We are dedicated to preventing criminal activity in our community and ensuring the safety of our residents."
The rise of the gang has been linked to the three-year crisis at the southern border, during which a massive number of Venezuelans have flooded through the U.S. border and have been released into the country. In recent weeks, the Treasury designated TdA a significant transnational criminal organization and has offered financial rewards for the conviction of three of its leaders.
Back in April, FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged that the agency was tracking the gang, adding, "We're certainly tracking that particular gang, TdA, as we refer to it. We have Safe Streets violent gang task forces in all 56 of our field offices, which are focused specifically on gangs and other similar violent criminal enterprises."
According to reports, the document was designated as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and was issued by the U.S. Army to Department of Defense (DOD) personnel across the country. The document states that the violent gang, made up of illegal immigrants, is employing advanced technology and surveillance to execute the criminal operations.
The threat advisory states that TdA "has established a presence in Brooklyn, Bronx, and Williamsburg, NY," with an estimated 400 gang members taking up residence in the boroughs. Additionally, the U.S. Army warned that the gang has forged close ties to Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
As reported by Law Enforcement Today, in Aurora, Colorado, Democratic lawmakers have seemingly dismissed reports that TdA has taken over apartment complexes. However, the threat advisory from the U.S. Army appears to confirm those incidents. The document also details an August 24th incident where it is believed that TdA members fired 19 rounds toward the Chapman Gate at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
The U.S. Army reiterated the DHS advisory warning local and state law enforcement about gang members being given the "green light" to target police in Denver, Colorado, and New York City. The threat advisory may also explain the increased presence of the National Guard and other military personnel in New York City because as noted in the document, the U.S Army's Threat Analysis Division (TAD) has high confidence that DOD employees and their family members could become victims of the gang.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sources claim that most of the TdA members present in the country crossed the border illegally through Texas between 2022 and 2023 and they were subsequently released by Border Patrol into the U.S. pending removal proceedings.
According to Fox News, senior border officials announced their efforts in targeting TdA as a priority after a surge in gang activity in both Texas and Colorado. Fox previously reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had distributed intelligence bulletins to agents revealing tattoos and identifiers for the gang. TdA is said to specialize in extortion, kidnapping, murder, and sex trafficking.
Federal authorities have been warning that the gang is trying to establish itself in the U.S., where police are already linking the group to organized crime. The FBI also warned that the gang could team up with the super violent gang, MS-13.
In Texas, the Dallas Police Department (DPD) said that it has seen gang activity in the north Dallas area linked to TdA. DPD Officer Michael Dennis said, "Our department is collaborating with other agencies to address possible crimes linked to this and other gangs in our city. We are dedicated to preventing criminal activity in our community and ensuring the safety of our residents."
The rise of the gang has been linked to the three-year crisis at the southern border, during which a massive number of Venezuelans have flooded through the U.S. border and have been released into the country. In recent weeks, the Treasury designated TdA a significant transnational criminal organization and has offered financial rewards for the conviction of three of its leaders.
Back in April, FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged that the agency was tracking the gang, adding, "We're certainly tracking that particular gang, TdA, as we refer to it. We have Safe Streets violent gang task forces in all 56 of our field offices, which are focused specifically on gangs and other similar violent criminal enterprises."
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Comments
2024-09-10T18:29-0500 | Comment by: Josh
It’s always nice that we have an administration who makes sure to create problems for law enforcement to solve.