In a recent television appearance, Gov. Greg Abbott called out a specific Venezuelan gang by the name of Tren de Aragua, claiming that Texas is now a hostile territory to the dangerous foreign organization.
On September 16, Gov. Abbott unveiled multiple initiatives to support state law enforcement in their efforts against the expanding Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
He announced plans to designate the gang a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” under Texas Government Code Chapter 2270. This classification would enable authorities to seize the assets of individuals suspected of being affiliated with the gang.
The increased attention on Tren de Aragua comes at a critical time as the gang has reportedly been connected to recent violent crimes, as reported by The Dallas Express. Additionally, the gang is known for its involvement in ongoing drug trafficking activities across the state, as confirmed by the governor and local law enforcement officials.
“If [Tren de Aragua] is unchecked, it will just expand terror and carnage that TdA imposes in whatever country they’ve been in,” said Abbott.
“That’s why Texas stepped up to be the first state in the United States to say that Tren de Aragua is not going to be not only unwelcome here, but we will be seeking them, we will find them, and we will put them behind bars,” he added.
In August, the Dallas Police Department made a startling revelation, publicly acknowledging that the Venezuelan gang had infiltrated North Texas for the first time. Officials reported that the gang had established operations at the Oaks of North Dallas apartment complex on Haverwood Lane, as DX previously reported.
“We have had gang activity in the North Dallas area linked to the Tren De Aragua gang from Venezuela,” Dallas Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Pryor told DailyMail.com.
“Our department is collaborating with other agencies to address possible crimes linked to this and other gangs in our city,” she added.
The apartment complex at the heart of the gang activity is allegedly now under new management with a safer atmosphere. However, residents report that the complex’s troublemakers have merely “re-located, not left,” according to DailyMail.
The apartment complex falls within District 12, represented by Cara Mendelsohn. In a conversation with The Dallas Express, Mendelsohn expressed surprise, saying she was “not aware of any reports of violent gangs in that area.”
“There have been significant changes in the demographics of the area and there is a large Venezuelan population in District 12. There is an ongoing problem with large, late-night, loud parties in parking lots, car washes, and city parks, that have been disturbing neighborhoods, but it is not gang-related,” Mendelsohn told DX.
Various other reports showcase the gang infiltrating housing infrastructure throughout New York City, and, most recently, in New Mexico, as well as various other states across America, leaving law enforcement officials scrambling to identify the true reach of the gang across the country.