MS-13 on Steroids

Venezuelan Gang Terrorizing US Cities, Flowing Across Our Southern Border

A violent Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua (TDA), has become increasingly organized and brazen, earning the new moniker "MS-13 on steroids."

Republican Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales has warned that TDA members are not only aggressive but battle-hardened, having endured the violent environment of Venezuela. As they establish themselves in the U.S., they are becoming harder to track and even more dangerous. Deportation efforts are complicated by Venezuela's refusal to accept their return, leaving these criminals free to terrorize American communities.

ICE deported only 834 Venezuelans in fiscal 2023 despite over 335,000 encounters with Venezuelan migrants at the border. The Biden administration briefly resumed deportations to Venezuela in October 2023, but the socialist dictatorship halted them in January after the U.S. reinstated economic sanctions. Gonzales described Venezuela’s strategy as effectively giving these criminals a "one-way trip to the United States."

In a brazen display of violence, Tren de Aragua (TDA) members were linked to a June 24 jewelry heist in Denver, Colorado, where they posed as clients before pulling guns and viciously pistol-whipping two women. This ruthless attack in broad daylight sends a chilling message: these criminals are here, and they are unafraid to unleash chaos in our communities.

Federal authorities are now on high alert, as TDA has reportedly given the "green light" for attacks on police officers, signaling a new level of danger for law enforcement and the public alike.

We must urgently classify Venezuela as a high-risk nation and halt all entries from there immediately, especially given our current inability to deport their criminals. It’s time to shut the door on this escalating threat before more Americans lose their lives!

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In Case You Missed It…

The Growing Threat of a Venezuelan Crime Network

The transnational Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang, has infiltrated the United States, posing a significant threat. March 7th, 2024

• Recent court documents link Diego Ibarra, brother of Laken Riley's killer, to the Tren de Aragua gang, highlighting its presence in the US.

• The US Government is granting temporary parole status to Venezuelans despite the total inability to vet and identify individuals with criminal records or gang affiliation.

• There is no information sharing between Venezuela and the US Gov’t.

• Hamas is based in Venezuela and holds official government offices.

Tren de Aragua has emerged as the fastest-growing transnational criminal organization globally. Originating in Aragua state, northern Venezuela, the group has expanded its reach as millions of Venezuelans migrated, initially to other Latin American nations, and the gang has seemingly followed in their wake.

FBI El Paso has reported Tren De Aragua exploits the opportunity to move undetected amongst the surge of thousands of Venezuelan migrants, especially since they abandoned gang tattoos, allowing them to avoid alerting the US Border Patrol at our southern border.

Between 2018 and 2023, Tren de Aragua orchestrated a transnational criminal network, establishing cells in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, and now the United States. Their extensive criminal portfolio includes contract killings, guerilla warfare, extortion, loan sharking, kidnapping, torture, human trafficking for sexual exploitation, robberies, migrant smuggling, contraband, illegal mining, retail drug trafficking, cybercrime, and theft. Countries such as Chile, Peru, and Colombia have conducted substantial operations against the gang since 2022, especially on their borders.

The FBI has found alarming indications that a potential alliance is forming with the notoriously violent MS-13. The gang's expansion is attributed to its strategic alliances with other organized crime networks, involving non-aggression pacts and, in some cases, partnerships to share criminal proceeds.

In Georgia, Diego Ibarra, aged 29, was arrested for possession of a counterfeit green card, used to secure employment at the University of Georgia, the same institution where his 22-year-old brother, Jose Ibarra, stands accused of the heinous murder of Laken Riley. The arrest and the subsequent revelation underscore a troubling connection between the Ibarra brothers and illicit activities.  

Justice for Laken Riley Act! Get Tough on Migrant Crime.

In Virginia, Venezuelan Renzo Mendoza Montes, 32, was arrested last week on two felony charges for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl released at the gang-preferred El Paso border crossing 5 months ago.  

In New York, let’s not forget the Tren de Aragua gang charged in the brutal attack on NYPD cops in Times Square.

In Texas, FBI Special Agent Britton Boyd, El Paso, underscores Tren de Aragua's focus on human smuggling and sex trafficking, particularly within Venezuelan migrant communities along the US-Mexico border. This raises concerns about the gang preying on vulnerable populations, engaging in extortion, and committing violent crimes to establish dominance.

In Texas, Former Border Patrol Agent Ammon Blair, Serving in the Rio Grand Valley Sector, paints a grim picture of the gang's modus operandi, including extortion of migrant businesses.  

Venezuelan nationals in the US and abroad are forced to cover for this gang, receiving death threats for snitching. In one case, this gang threatened to poison the water supply.

THIS IS WHAT WE WELCOMED INTO THE US?!

A Bogota Asylum seeker in the US stated, “Every time I arrived in my neighborhood, I had to hide everything –– my money, my cell phone –– because they could kill me for that,” and we are witnessing these tactics on our streets.

The Tren de Aragua gang's incursion into the US has manifested in violent phone robberies in New York City, where members on mopeds ruthlessly snatch devices from unsuspecting victims.  

As we grapple with the reality of a violent gang finding a foothold within our borders, the question becomes: How will we respond? Ignoring the issue is not an option.