
A notorious Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua has infiltrated the U.S. amidst the ongoing border crisis, raising concerns about the ability of immigration authorities to vet incoming migrants. The gang, which has spread its criminal activities across several states, has been implicated in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and violent crimes. Experts warn that border authorities have little to no means of identifying members of the criminal group before they reach American soil due to limited cooperation between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, noted the challenges authorities face. “We have next to no vetting for the Venezuelans who are entering the country because we have no relationship with the government of Venezuela,” Vaughan said. Without access to criminal records from the Venezuelan government, U.S. authorities have little information on whether migrants have criminal backgrounds.
Recent incidents underscore the gang’s growing presence in the U.S. A hotel in El Paso, Texas, was shut down in early September following an investigation into Tren de Aragua’s use of the complex for drug use and prostitution. In Aurora, Colorado, police identified 10 gang members linked to criminal activities, including shootings and thefts.
The gang’s operations in the U.S. have expanded rapidly, particularly in areas with large Venezuelan communities. Former Customs and Border Patrol agent Ammon Blair explained that while the gang is not yet prominent in smaller border towns, they are active in major cities like El Paso, where a large diaspora of Venezuelan migrants resides.
Tren de Aragua has even caught the attention of the Biden administration. In July, the Treasury Department designated the group a transnational criminal organization, citing its involvement in human and drug trafficking. Despite this, identifying gang members remains difficult for law enforcement, as they lack distinct tattoos or markings typically associated with gang identification.
The U.S. does not have an agreement with Venezuela to exchange criminal records, forcing authorities to rely on international databases like Interpol. However, this process is slow, and migrants are often released before their criminal records can be reviewed.
From fiscal year 2021 to 2023, there has been a 421% increase in Venezuelan migrants encountered at the southern border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data. This surge has heightened concerns about gang infiltration. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently announced that he would designate Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization, vowing to bring the “full weight of the government” against the group.
CBP stated that it has enhanced screening measures to identify potential threats and emphasized that the majority of southern border encounters result in removal or expulsion. However, experts like Blair remain skeptical, warning that the gang’s presence in Venezuelan communities across the U.S. is only set to grow.
Efforts to combat the gang’s influence have extended beyond U.S. borders. In 2023, the Department of Homeland Security partnered with Peru to create a Transnational Crime Investigation Unit aimed at combating Tren de Aragua’s network in South America.
As the U.S. grapples with how to address this emerging threat, authorities continue to emphasize the need for improved vetting tools and stronger border security measures.