The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly identified more than 600 immigrants currently living in the United States who may have ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
According to data obtained and published by NBC News On Wednesday, about 100 of them were confirmed to be gang members and designated as “persons of interest.” DHS has advised the FBI to place these individuals on a watch list, officials told news outlets.
“Almost disturbingly low.”
The report noted that upon further scrutiny, the remaining 500 immigrants may be gang members themselves or victims or witnesses with gang ties.
DHS data obtained by NBC News revealed that TDA has confirmed activity in at least 15 states and may have a presence in eight more states.
“DHS continues to crack down on gang members through rigorous screening and testing at the border, as well as retesting certain individuals we have encountered in the past,” a department spokesperson told media outlets. spoke.
“All individuals identified or suspected to be gang members will be criminally prosecuted or detained and promptly released,” the spokesperson added.
But the data revealed that less than 5% of the 600 people identified by DHS are in federal custody at Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
DHS officials told NBC News that ICE is still unable to locate some individuals because they may be currently in the custody of other law enforcement agencies or ICE may not know the person's whereabouts. He said he had not taken him into custody. The official also said the federal government may still be confirming each individual's gang or criminal ties.
DHS officials say TDA is 'prey'[s] First and foremost, it's about Venezuelans. ”
“We know they control human smuggling routes from Venezuela to Colombia to Panama. And as individuals move north through Mexico, they control many of these passageways. ” said the official.
Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI deputy director for counterintelligence and NBC News contributor, said DHS's discovery of 600 immigrants who may have ties to the TDA is “almost disturbingly low.”
“It should be higher,” he added.
Ammon Blair, a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and a former Border Patrol agent, told NBC News that the federal government does not know the full extent of the TDA's presence in the United States.
“If you look at the process, unfortunately, it's just being rolled along,” Blair said. “The Border Patrol has created a conveyor belt, an automated system, to process them and release them into the United States as quickly as possible. We weren't asking any questions.”
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