Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a warning to its agents about members of a dangerous Venezuelan gang that are crossing the southern border of the United States.
According to an internal CBP intelligence bulletin provided to Fox News, the fearsome gang known as Tren de Aragua has been illegally entering the country, prompting authorities to share tattoos and other identifiers of the criminals to aid in their detection and prevent their entry.
The criminal group has expanded to more than a dozen countries, including the United States, where a number of criminal activities attributed to these immigrants have been recorded. These include robberies, attacks on law enforcement and other illegal actions.
Recently, the brother of a murder suspect in Georgia was reported to have ties to the gang, highlighting concerns about their presence in the United States. In addition, the FBI has warned that the gang could be associated with the bloodthirsty Salvadoran gang MS-13, better known as the "Mara Salvatrucha," which is responsible for a number of crimes and murders in New York.
Authorities denounce difficulties in deporting these criminals
Federal authorities have expressed frustration due to the complications in deporting Tren de Aragua members, as Venezuela refuses to accept their return after the United States reactivated sanctions against the dictatorial regime.
The U.S. government had opted to ease some sanctions imposed on Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro signed an agreement committing to guarantee fair presidential elections and to seek the eventual resolution of political disqualifications.
However, the situation changed after the dictatorial regime disqualified opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who had won 92.5% of the votes in the primaries, from competing in the elections. This prompted the White House to reactivate sanctions, which in turn led Maduro to cancel migrant repatriation flights in response.
During fiscal year 2023, only 834 Venezuelans were deported, according to ICE data. The Biden Administration had hoped to expand deportation. However, the situation between the two countries is increasingly complex.
