Texas Governor Greg Abbott has designated the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as the top threat to state security and said he may launch an operation to disrupt their criminal activities.
Governor Abbott said Monday that Tren de Aragua is considered one of the most dangerous criminal groups operating in Texas and has classified them as a Tier 1 threat and a foreign terrorist organization.
The designation makes the gang a priority for law enforcement and makes its members eligible for tougher penalties and longer sentences.
“The Texas Department of Public Safety will continue to work with our federal and local partners through the Texas Anti-Gang Center to stop these dangerous criminals,” Gov. Abbott wrote on social media.
The statement came days after former President Donald Trump said at a rally that he would launch a federal task force to “eliminate” Venezuelan gangs, according to the Dallas Morning News. Trump also hyped unconfirmed reports that gangs had taken over an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado, though city officials said the reports were exaggerated.
During a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump also said Aurora had been taken over by immigrants.
Governor Abbott said at a press conference on Monday that his announcement had nothing to do with politics or President Trump’s campaign.
“As I indicated several months ago, we began arresting TDA (Tren de Aragua) and suspected TDA members in Texas,” Abbott said. “The increased influx has required us to not only expand our efforts, but also step up our enforcement efforts by declaring them a foreign terrorist organization and using enhanced measures.”
Abbott also said Venezuelan immigrants should not automatically be considered gang members.
“Venezuelan thugs are extremely combative, extremely violent and certainly adaptive,” DPS Commissioner Steve McCraw said.
“Tren de Aragua gangs are like cockroaches,” McCraw said. “They multiply quickly, and even the smallest incursion into a community can become epidemic if they’re not actively pursued.”
Other gangs designated as Tier 1 threats in the state include the Texas Aryan Brotherhood, the Crips, the Bloods, the Latin Kings, the Texas Syndicate and the Mexican Mafia.
