Key members of the transnational Tren De Aragua gang among 20 arrested in a raid in Texas

In a major operation, San Antonio police arrested 20 people linked to the transnational Tren de Aragua gang, Breitbart reported.

Early Saturday, a large-scale raid targeting gang-related activity took place at a northside apartment complex in San Antonio, Texas. The operation was conducted by a coalition of agencies, including the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety Anti-Gang Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the U.S. Border Patrol.

This raid followed numerous complaints from the community about alarming activities such as human trafficking, drug trafficking and threats orchestrated by the members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang.

San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus indicated that these activities had become so widespread that the gang members effectively controlled the area.

The arrest of these individuals confirms that transnational gangs from South America are gaining a foothold in the United States, an issue that former President Donald Trump has been warning Americans about for years.

Now, Trump’s warnings have become reality thanks to the open southern border, which is allowing criminals to flood in and settle in the United States to terrorize Americans and engage in illegal activities such as drug and human trafficking.

Agencies are joining forces to fight gang crimes

Chief Bill McManus said nearly 300 vacant apartments were evacuated by officers as part of the operation. This extensive sweep underscores the scale and preparedness of law enforcement to counter the gang’s foothold in the community. “It has been confirmed that one TdA member is an enforcer for that gang,” McManus said, highlighting the significance of those captured during the raid.

The raid not only involved immediate arrests, but also represented a strategic disruption of the gang’s operations in Texas. A total of twenty people were arrested, four of whom are confirmed members of the TdA gang, which is now in custody under ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott praised the raid and strengthened his stance on gang activity. “We will not tolerate this gang in Texas,” Abbott declared, signaling a strong, sustained state-level response to gang proliferation. His message was clear about his administration’s commitment to identifying and dismantling gang networks: “Our goal is to ensure that we find, identify, locate, arrest and incarcerate them.”

Part of the broader concern related to this case is the implications of national border security policy. Texas Congressman Chip Roy attributed the increase in gang activity to what he described as “open border policies” under the current administration, highlighting direct criticism of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Community and political responses to gang raids

The Congressman also took to social media to praise the law enforcement agencies involved in the operations against the TdA gang. His post underscored bipartisan appreciation for law enforcement efforts, despite his criticism of federal policy.

As for the local community, Chief McManus assured residents and the public of continued vigilance and action against the gang activities that have bedeviled the city. “We assure the community and the public that we are committed to their safety, and we are on top of this TdA issue which appears to have become very public in recent times,” McManus claimed.

The chief’s statements not only focused on the current raid, but also hinted at future actions. “This is not the last enforcement of the TdA gang on their horizon,” he warned, signaling a sustained campaign. His direct message to the gang members was: “We are on to you, we are coming for you and we know where you are.”

This raid is part of broader, ongoing efforts to suppress the activities of the Tren de Aragua gang, especially given their links to serious criminal enterprises such as human and narcotics trafficking.