Abbott to fight Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in state plan

Governor Greg Abbott announced a state plan to combat the growing presence of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua at a news conference in Houston on Monday.

The Venezuelan prison gang, which is involved in extortion, drug trafficking and human smuggling, has expanded into South America and the U.S. in recent years. In July, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the gang as a transnational criminal organization. Republicans have pointed to a growing presence in Colorado as a failure of Biden’s border policies this election season, though the scale of the gang’s U.S. presence has been questioned.

Abbott declared the group a Tier 1 gang and a foreign terrorist organization. He said he would support Texas law enforcement in creating a statewide database of Tren de Aragua members.

“We will bring the full weight of the government to bear against TDA,” Abbott said.

The announcement comes as immigration and border security have become a major campaign issue during the presidential election. The murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray has propelled Houston to the forefront of the national conversation. Venezuelan migrants Franklin Peña and Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel are accused of her murder.

Abbott cited the difficulties in identifying Tren de Aragua members as a result of a lack of cooperation with Venezuelan authorities. The U.S. and Venezuela have not had diplomatic relations since 2019.

The governor did not specifically mention the Nungaray murder and did not link the suspects to Tren de Aragua. Authorities have not been able to track down their criminal past.

Venezuelans in Houston

Venezuelans are Houston’s fastest-growing immigrant population, with about 54,000 people living in the area, according to a 2023 report from the Migration Policy Institute. Many come legally through a parole program launched by the Biden administration, saying they are fleeing a years-long economic collapse and humanitarian crisis. The increased repression following the July election is only expected to drive more people out of the country.

Priscilla Lugo, policy and communications manager for the Texas Immigration Law Council, called the rhetoric at the press conference “alarming.”

“Venezuelan migrants fleeing instability, uncertainty, and violence come to the United States seeking safety and security. They are not recreating the violence they sought to escape, but instead making our communities safer and our economies more prosperous,” Lugo said in a statement.

Tren de Aragua’s Growing Presence in Texas

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw, Texas Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks and National Border Patrol Council Vice Chairman Chris Cabrera were with Abbott for the announcement on Monday.

McCraw said suspected members of Tren de Aragua have allegedly been involved in human trafficking, kidnapping and extortion in Houston. He did not elaborate on the crimes when asked for details.

Banks blamed President Joe Biden’s open border policies for the gang’s alleged growing presence in Texas and the U.S. He said the Venezuelan government has been deliberately sending prisoners to the U.S., but did not provide a source for that claim.

According to Cabrera, cities like Houston are the ones that are feeling the consequences of border policies.

“What people don’t realize is that when we’re working at the border, we see everything coming in,” Cabrera said. “But it doesn’t impact us as much as it does the rest of the United States, particularly Houston.”

Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed the Venezuelan government for releasing prisoners and sending them to the U.S. His campaign has provided no evidence to support this claim. When pressed recently by a reporter on the matter, Trump adviser Stephen Miller offered no further details. The New York Times previously debunked this claim.

A press release from Abbott’s office Friday said Houston Police Department Chief Noe Diaz would be present at Monday’s announcement. Diaz did not attend the news conference.

Migrant victims

Abbott said the gang deals in drugs, weapons and people. He said migrants are often the victims of the gang.

“We often see a cry for help from migrants who are victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse, who are begging for help and for something to be done about their attackers,” Abbott said.

McCraw said DPS is working to ensure that victims come forward. This includes making outreach available in Spanish.

“They have rights just like any other people, and we want to make sure that there is a violation of the law and they are the victims,” McCraw said.

Law enforcement and immigrant rights groups have previously told Houston Landing that they worry that some of Texas’s immigration laws could affect cooperation with law enforcement. If immigrants fear being targeted because of their immigration status, they may not want to come forward.

According to Abbott, immigrants’ fear of coming forward is a concern he hasn’t seen in Texas so far.

“We are not going to allow them (TDA) to use Texas as a base to terrorize our citizens,” Abbott said.

Texas has ramped up border and immigration enforcement under Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, launched in 2021. The state government has installed razor wire and shackles along the border and increased prosecutions for human smuggling and trespassing. A new law being challenged in court could make it a state crime to enter Texas illegally.

Related