Texas Governor Abbott Declares Venezuelan Gang Tren de Aragua a Foreign Terrorist Organization

The governor will also declare the criminal organization a “Tier 1” gang and create a joint task force with special privileges to prosecute the organization.

By Luca Cacciatore

Governor Greg Abbott on Monday announced several plans to help state law enforcement combat the fast-growing Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Abbott revealed that he would declare the gang a “foreign terrorist organization,” under Chapter 2270 of the Texas Government Code. This designation allows authorities to forfeit the assets of suspected TDA associates.

Abbott was joined at Monday’s news conference announcing the action plan by Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw and Border Czar Mike Banks.

“TDA is notorious for their brutal violence and murder, as well as kidnapping, extortion, bribery, and drug, gun and even human trafficking. They have been linked to over 100 law enforcement investigations across the country,” Abbott explained.

The gang has been “given the green light to shoot police officers across the United States,” the governor added.

In addition to the FTO designation, Abbott has also designated TDA as a “Tier 1” gang. A 2018 Department of Public Safety threat assessment defines Tier 1 gangs as the “greatest threat to the state.”

Tango Blast and its associated tango cliques, the Texas Mexican Mafia, MS-13 and Barrio Azteca were other gangs designated as Tier 1 at the time.

It is notable that TDA is already considered a “transnational criminal organization” by federal officials.

Abbott said the leads would coincide with a statewide operation targeting TDA by a task force made up of federal, state and local law enforcement officials.

A new state database aimed at identifying TDA members through shared characteristics such as “tattoos, scars, markings, types of crime and methods of operation” will be used during the operation.

McCraw later elaborated on what the operation would look like in practice, given certain challenges. He noted that the federal government has not been very helpful in disclosing the whereabouts of illegal Venezuelan aliens.

“We will not allow any of these TDA gangsters to gain a foothold in Texas. For that reason, the Texas Anti-Gang Centers already have ongoing criminal enterprise investigations against TDA and all operating areas in the state,” McCraw said.

“We are asking our federal partners to give us the whereabouts of these Venezuelan migrants,” he continued. “That is very important because unfortunately, you are either a TDA member or a victim of TDA.”

Border Commissioner Mike Banks blamed the nationwide TDA crisis on the “direct result” of the “open border policy” instituted by the Biden-Harris administration.

“The Biden-Harris administration has called on the world to cross this border without any consequences,” said Banks, who went on to criticize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s screening policies.

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