Here’s Why Aggressive Venezuela Gang Members Are Being Arrested in New York

Lawmakers nationwide are warning a hostile Venezuelan gang is in the state and actively recruiting new members.

A gang dubbed an "agent of chaos and terror throughout Central and South America" is reportedly flooding across the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. Tren de Aragua is a transnational criminal organization and the largest crime organization in Venezuela.

San Antonio's Congressman Tony Gonzales warned in July about 1,000 Tren de Aragua gang members have already flowed into the country and is expanding north toward Illinois and New York.

Gonzales said the gang is involved in drug dealing and human trafficking, of which it intends to gain control of both trades in the country.

Read More: New York's Police Force Experiences Worst Decline in America

"Tren de Aragua is the epitome of evil [...] this gang is known to rape children, spearhead murders, and cause widespread chaos," he said in a recent statement.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott was even more curt, calling the gang "MS 13 on steroids."

Tren de Aragua started in Venezuelan prisons and has since grown in power. Since coming to the United States, members have been linked to gun smuggling, shootings, thefts, and drug dealing.

The gang has also been found to take over apartments and hotels; recently seizing a property in Aurora, Colorado, for several hours.

New York has already arrested several Tren de Aragua members and recent incidents linked them to a string of thefts in high-end retail stores, as confirmed by the New York Times. Two members were arrested in February for assaulting police officers.

Read More: Auto Theft Rates in New York Among America's Worst

Sources from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pinned the expansion of this "bloodthirsty" gang on migrant-friendly policies. Most notably, they told the New York Post that NYC's "sanctuary city" status has enabled this gang to grow unchecked.

Sanctuary cities that either limits or denies cooperation with federal agents enforcing immigration laws. New York City was codified as an established sanctuary city under former Mayor Bill de Blasio roughly 10 years ago.

The move prohibits city police or its correction and probation departments from cooperating with ICE agents, unless a case involves a suspected terrorist.

This means under some cases, authorities cannot hold wanted illegal immigrants or let federal agents know a fugitive is in their area.

Sources from ICE told the Post, "It was an unintended consequence of this administration’s policies."

ICE agents say this gang has infiltrated NYC's shelter system and are actively recruiting new members.

Offices also cannot patrol shelters that house asylum seekers under Sanctuary City laws unless it involves a call to 911 or operating under a warrant or subpoena.

An example of this was a recent raid of the Randall’s Island migrant shelter after officers received reports Tren de Aragua was using the site to stash weapons. Officers returned empty handed, convinced private security guards tipped off the gang, who relocated their stash before the raid.

Police also say the private guards cannot cooperate with NYPD under the current law. In addition, migrants are seemingly able to get drugs and weapons into shelters through food deliveries, which are allowed in and cannot be searched or put through metal detectors.

"[Sancutary City proponents] claim they are protecting the communities from ICE, all the while releasing these dangerous criminals back into the communities they preyed upon," the source rebuked.

Seems NYC Mayor Eric Adams is also rethinking the "sanctuary city" status and told reporters on September 6 that he wants the law modified, as the current version is "a mistake."

"I don’t believe if a person commits a violent felony act that we should not coordinate with ICE to have that person removed from our country after they served their time," Adams said.

He also believes migrants who commit a crime should be expelled from the country after serving a jail sentence.

Tren de Aragua has reportedly established itself in 8 states: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Nevada and Texas.

The gang is reportedly forcing women into sex trafficking after promising them a life in America. They then extort money from their trafficking victims by forcing them to "work" to pay off what they owe.

At this time, there are no reports of Tren de Aragua operating in Central New York. However, law enforcement officials are bracing for if - or when - the gang expands deeper into the state as a primary concern is the possibility of gang turf wars.

Below are other gangs that are already established in the Empire State.

Get our free mobile app