Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday announced new measures the state will take against Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang that is wreaking havoc in several states across the country.
Governor Abbott announced he would declare the gang a foreign terrorist organization and create a database to determine whether arrestees were members of the TdA.
“We will use the full force of our government against TdA,” said Governor Abbott. “By declaring TdA a foreign terrorist organization, the State of Texas will use the courts to stop their operations, use civil asset forfeiture to seize their assets, and use enhanced criminal penalties to keep them in prison for longer.”
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These images from a CBP intelligence bulletin show Tren De Aragua's tattoos and identifying information.
The gang is believed to have originated in Venezuelan prisons and migrated north over the past decade, but its notoriety in the United States has grown this year because of a number of high-profile crimes linked to it, many of whom are believed to have come across the southern border as part of a recent surge in migration.
Border officials recently told Fox they are making the gang a priority target, and Dallas authorities told Fox they have seen TdA-linked gang activity north of Dallas. The gang gained attention after reports it had taken over an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership conference on September 5, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
Fox News Digital reported in July that TdA members had been given “authorization” to shoot and attack police in Denver. The Biden administration designated the group a “significant international criminal organization” in July and offered a reward of up to $12 million for information leading to the arrest of its three leaders.
Abbott said the database being created would look at common characteristics of gang members, such as tattoos, scars and the types and modus operandi of crimes committed.
Governor Abbott has already launched a statewide operation to disrupt and disrupt gangs, saying there are now nine gang countermeasure centers across the state with over $100 million in funding. Recently, a hotel in El Paso where TdA was operating was closed down.
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He also noted that more than 100 gang members were arrested during violence on the U.S.-Mexico border near El Paso earlier this year, and said Tuesday that strike teams were being formed to deploy resources in areas where gang members are believed to be operating.
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“The goal of Texas law enforcement is to protect our state from the growing threat of TdA,” he said. “We will not allow them to use Texas as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens. Texas is a law and order state, and I will ensure that our law enforcement agencies take all necessary steps to keep our communities safe.”
