Greg Abbott creates special team to fight Tren de Aragua

After labeling the group as a terrorist organization, the governor has taken further action: "Our top focus is the safety and security of all Texans. To address this looming threat, I have ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to launch a statewide operation directly targeting Tren de Aragua to deter and disrupt their criminal operation."

Published by

Verónica Silveri Pazos

19 de septiembre, 2024

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Dallas authorities have determined that the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) is expanding its criminal activities in the city, operating in several areas (downtown and north). The local police department has requested the support of the community, urging citizens to report any suspicious activity related to this group, in order to stop its expansion.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott asked the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to create a special team to search for, identify and arrest the criminals:

"The recent entry and expansion of the vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, is a dangerous and deadly problem facing our state and nation. ... Our top focus is the safety and security of all Texans. To address this looming threat, I have ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to launch a statewide operation directly targeting Tren de Aragua to deter and disrupt their criminal operation. I am also officially designating Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. Our goal is to defend Texas from the growing threat of the gang. We will not let them use Texas as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens. They have a target on their back, and we are going after them. Texas is the wrong state for them to try to do business in," Abbott said.

"The Governor also directed DPS to create a TdA strike team to aggressively target TdA criminal operations in Texas. This strike team will include DPS assets and hundreds of personnel, including DPS Highway Patrol troopers, Special Agents, and Texas Rangers. They will coordinate and collaborate with Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) Centers and law enforcement to surge resources to areas where known TdA activity is taking place," a statement from Gov. Abbott's office reads.

DISASTER Foreign Terrorist ... by Veronica Silveri

He also described the criminal group as "terrorists" a few days ago, and declared them to be a "serious threat to the state and the country."

Politics

Texas declares Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization

AFP

Call 911 if you have information

On the other hand, Jaime Castro, president of the Dallas Police Union reassured the public saying, "We are going to exchange information and intelligence to get to the people who are committing these crimes. ... We have all the necessary tools, and the state's technology is available for our investigations."

Castro asked citizens to contact authorities if they notice anything suspicious around them: "Call 911 and request that the call be anonymous. Indicate that you wish to provide information, and we will take all available information."

Steve McCraw, director of DPS, noted that criminals "are like cockroaches ... They multiply quickly."

Tren de Aragua gangsters are like cockroaches. ... They multiply quickly; small intrusions into communities become infestations if not aggressively pursued. These Venezuelan thugs are highly combative, violent, and certainly adaptable. They’re always involved in situations that first start with human smuggling. Then they are involved in the extortion, kidnappings, rape, assaults, and sex trafficking of migrants. Governor Abbott has made it very clear: We will not allow any of these gangsters to gain a foothold in Texas," McCraw said.