On Monday, Sept. 16, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new statewide initiative aimed at dismantling the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and curbing their criminal influence in the state.
During a press conference held at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Southeast Texas Regional Headquarters in Houston, Abbott designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization.
He announced the launch of a comprehensive operation to combat their criminal activity.
“The recent entry and expansion of the vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, is a dangerous and deadly problem facing our state and nation,” said Abbott.
“Our top focus is the safety and security of all Texans. To address this looming threat, I have ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to launch a statewide operation directly targeting Tren de Aragua to deter and disrupt their criminal operation. I am also officially designating Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. Our goal is to defend Texas from the growing threat of the gang. We will not let them use Texas as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens. They have a target on their back, and we are going after them. Texas is the wrong state for them to try to do business in.”
Tren de Aragua, which originated as a prison gang in Venezuela, has evolved into a transnational criminal organization according to officials.
With significant control over the flow of migrants from South America through Mexico and into the U.S., Abbott compared TdA to the notorious MS-13 gang.
As part of the initiative, DPS will elevate TdA to a Tier 1 gang and establish a specialized strike team to identify, target, and arrest its members.
“Tren de Aragua gangsters are like cockroaches,” said DPS Director McCraw.
“They multiply quickly; small intrusions into communities become infestations if not aggressively pursued. These Venezuelan thugs are highly combative, violent, and certainly adaptable. They’re always involved in situations that first start with human smuggling. Then they are involved in the extortion, kidnappings, rape, assaults, and sex trafficking of migrants. Governor Abbott has made it very clear: We will not allow any of these gangsters to gain a foothold in Texas.”
Governor Abbott also signed a proclamation officially designating TdA as a foreign terrorist organization.
This designation enables Texas to impose harsher criminal penalties, use civil asset forfeiture to seize gang property, and pursue legal action against the gang.
