Recently, there have been inconsistencies in reports suggesting that the Trump administration is linking the Tren de Aragua gang with the Venezuelan government.
While justifying the use of the 1789 alien enemy law, Trump has accused Tren de Aragua (TDA) of working in coordination with President Nicolas Maduro.
However, documents from the National Intelligence Council, initially obtained by the Press Foundation and later reviewed by Hill, indicate that the U.S. intelligence community has not found evidence of any such coordination between Maduro’s administration and the gang.
The report notes, “Although Venezuela’s permissive environment might facilitate TDA operations, it’s unlikely that the Maduro administration has a policy to collaborate with TDA or has directed their movement or operations into the U.S.”
The Alien Enemy Law has only been invoked three times in U.S. history, and Trump is the first to attempt its application against gang-related activities, facing resistance from the courts thus far.
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), who previously challenged intelligence leaders regarding their claims, asserted that the document undermines the justification used by the Trump administration to deport individuals to prisons in El Salvador using the alien enemy laws.
“The fact that the Intelligence Reporting Agency hasn’t found that the Venezuelan government orchestrated Tren de Aragua’s incursions into the U.S. completely invalidates President Trump’s rationale for invoking the alien enemy law,” Castro told Hill.
“There hasn’t even been an opportunity for these individuals to contest the allegations regarding their gang affiliations,” he added, suggesting that Venezuelan men were denied the chance to challenge their situation.
“It’s clear that sending these people to a gulag in El Salvador is simply baseless.”
Various reports have cast doubt on the claim of coordination between the Venezuelan government and the gang, which is currently active across several countries.
The intelligence community assesses that while Venezuelan military and police services view TDA as a security threat, collaboration with the gang is not likely to occur in a strategic manner.
Additionally, the report raised questions about the involvement of Tren de Aragua in human smuggling activities, stating that the gang’s small cell size and low-skilled criminal operations make it improbable for them to engage in large-scale human trafficking.
A week ago, a federal judge appointed by Trump found that he lacked the authority to deport members of suspected gangs using alien enemy laws.
The judge’s ruling indicated that there is no implication that an organized group of armed individuals is aiming to take control of Venezuela.
On Tuesday, another judge in New York deemed it incorrect to dismiss the Trump administration’s actions with faint hopes for any process.
“I believe the basis for the Presidential Declaration regarding TDA does not fulfill conditions of ‘war,’ ‘aggression,’ or ‘invasion’,” the judge stated.
Castro, along with Rep. Jim Himez (D-Conn.), has requested the Director of National Intelligence to declassify an April 7 memo regarding the gang.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe previously addressed questions from Castro but maintained that the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela.
This disclosure follows a report by the New York Times which contradicts Trump’s assertion that Tren de Aragua operates at Venezuelan government behest.
The Trump administration countered that the report is inaccurate and threatened legal action against anyone revealing sensitive intelligence.
“The Department of Justice is conducting a criminal investigation into selective leaks, yet it has still classified information related to Tren de Aragua,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche remarked at the time.
“We will not condone politically motivated efforts that aim to undermine President Trump’s agenda through misleading information,” he continued. “The declaration of an alien enemy is firmly grounded in facts, law, and common sense, and will be upheld in court to expel TDA members from the country.”
