Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has designated Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, as a top threat to the state’s security and said he could launch an operation to disrupt their criminal activities.
On Monday, Abbott said Tren de Aragua is considered among the most dangerous crime groups operating in Texas and classified them as a Tier 1 threat and a foreign terrorist organization.
This designation makes the gang a priority for law enforcement and makes their members eligible for enhanced penalties and stiffer sentences.
“The Texas Department of Public Safety will coordinate with federal and local partners through Texas Anti-Gang Centers to stop these dangerous criminals,” Abbott wrote on social media.
According to the Dallas Morning News, the statement comes days after former President Donald Trump said in a rally that he would launch a federal task force to “crush” the Venezuelan gang. He also amplified unverified reports that the gang had taken over an apartment complex in Aurora, Colo. City officials, however, called those reports exaggerated.
During his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump also said Aurora had been taken over by immigrants.
In his Monday’s conference, Abbott said his announcement had nothing to do with politics or Trump’s presidential campaign.
“I pointed out several months ago, we began the arrests of TDA [Tren de Aragua] or suspected TDA members in the state of Texas,” Abbott said. “With the increased flow, we’ve had to not only expand our efforts but add to the crackdown by doing things like declaring them a foreign terrorist organization and using enhanced tools.”
Abbott also said Venezuelan immigrants should not be automatically assumed to be gang members.
DPS Director Steve McCraw said the “Venezuelan thugs are highly combative, violent, and certainly adaptable.”
“Tren de Aragua gangsters are like cockroaches,” McCraw said. “They multiply quickly; small intrusions into communities become infestations if not aggressively pursued.”
Other gangs that have been designated as a Tier 1 threat in the state are the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, the Crips, the Bloods, the Latin Kings, the Texas Syndicate and the Mexican Mafia.
