US lawmakers are responding to Venezuelan gang ‘Tren de Aragua’ reportedly increasing its activities across the U.S.
Tren de Aragua is Venezuela’s largest gang with an estimated 5,000 members and has recently been linked to numerous criminal investigations in the US.
The gang has been reportedly infiltrating the US through the southern border and is now unleashing rampant criminal behavior in Texas and Colorado.
Republican lawmakers, such as US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) previously urged President Biden to designate the gang as a TCO.
TCO designation automatically leverages increased federal government resources against Tren de Aragua.
President Biden finally acquiesced to Republican demands and designated Tren de Aragua as a TCO in early July.
The Biden administration assured Americans law enforcement is working to “investigate and prosecute Tren de Aragua members and affiliates engaged in criminal activities.”
Representative Salazar welcomed Biden’s decision and further urged the latter to increase border security to stymie the gang’s operations further.
“With the Transnational Criminal Organization designation, the federal government has the tools it needs to hunt down their blood-soaked leaders,” said Salazar. “Now it’s time to secure our border to make sure they don’t come in anymore.”
The Department of Justice is also offering up to $12 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Tren de Aragua leaders.
Yet, Senator Rubio has been unimpressed with Biden’s measures against Tren de Aragua as the gang’s US operations continue
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, murderous criminals like members of the Tren de Aragua gang are wreaking havoc across our nation,” said Rubio. “The truth is these thugs are committing crimes because they’re vicious criminals.”
