MS-13 on Steroids – The Most Evil Gang Heading to the US

El Paso, Texas, is bracing for an unprecedented threat as a violent Venezuelan gang, described as “MS-13 on steroids,” moves to infiltrate the United States.

At a glance

• The Mexican border state of Chihuahua is on high alert due to members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).
• According to reports, TdA members are traveling to the United States via Chihuahua, near El Paso, Texas.
• The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned TdA as a transnational criminal organization in July.
• U.S. law enforcement and immigration officials are investigating more than 100 cases involving suspected members of TdA. – NBC News

Growing concerns about safety in El Paso

The city of El Paso is beefing up security amid growing concerns about a violent Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua (TdA). Law enforcement officials are on high alert following reports that members of the gang are traveling through the Mexican state of Chihuahua with the intention of crossing the U.S. border near El Paso, prompting urgent action from local and federal authorities.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned TdA in July as a transnational criminal organization, citing its involvement in human trafficking, extortion, money laundering, and drug trafficking. The gang traffics people, particularly migrant women and girls, for sex trafficking and debt bondage, often killing them and publicizing their deaths as a warning to others.

A Looming Threat: MS-13 on Steroids

Described as “MS-13 on steroids” due to their aggressive and organized nature, TdA has been linked to numerous violent activities, including a recent armed invasion of an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. U.S. officials and Texas Representative Tony Gonzales have expressed concern about the gang infiltrating the U.S.

“They’re extremely aggressive. It’s not that they’re a passive group, or that they’re just going to go about their business,” Gonzales said in a phone interview with Fox News Digital earlier this month. “They come from Venezuela, one of the most war-torn countries of the last decade. So they’re battle-hardened in many ways. And they’ve made this journey from there to here. But they’re also becoming … more organized and more brazen.”

This has to be the biggest news in the country right now.

Truly terrifying.

And the open borders nuts tried to convince us it was just a “conspiracy theory” https://t.co/8j9i2QoKWa

— Kimberly Guilfoyle (@kimguilfoyle) August 29, 2024

Border security and challenges

Interpol has classified TdA as a major regional security threat that extends its reach into Mexico, and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has more than 100 ongoing investigations into suspected TdA members. However, the U.S. faces significant challenges in screening migrants from countries like Venezuela, which do not share information about their criminal histories.

In 2023, more than 330,000 Venezuelans crossed the U.S. border, with Venezuela failing to provide criminal records or accept deported citizens. The Biden administration has seen a surge in migrants, with approximately 800,000 Venezuelans attempting to cross the U.S. border since 2021. Democratic mayors in cities including Chicago, New York and Denver have expressed particular concern about the significant influx of Venezuelan migrants.

“Unless agents get a Venezuelan migrant’s criminal history from Interpol or “they already have a criminal history in the United States, we won’t know who they are.” — Ammon Blair, former Border Patrol agent

Transnational crime and responses

The origins of Tren de Aragua can be traced to the Tocorón prison in Aragua, Venezuela. The gang is reportedly led by Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as “El Niño Guerrero,” and has approximately 5,000 members. The gang has spread internationally by forming alliances with local gangs and adapting to new environments. El Paso’s increased security measures are a crucial response to countering the potential threat of this gang.

“This gang, I have to say, is not a regular gang. It’s not a normal gang,” said Gilberto Loya, secretary of public safety for the state of Chihuahua, during a press conference on April 15. “It’s a gang that we have classified as more dangerous than the Mara Salvatrucha, but it’s different from the Mara Salvatrucha because it’s much less recognizable.” – Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center

As the situation evolves, authorities are doing everything they can to protect American citizens from this growing criminal threat, fueling calls for stronger border security and effective transnational cooperation against organized crime.