Texas: Tren de Aragua member arrested for recruiting high school students to join the criminal gang

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) arrested illegal immigrant Jorgenys Robertson Cova for recruiting high school students to join the violent criminal gang Tren de Aragua (TdA). The arrest was made in the Sharpstown neighborhood in southwest Houston:

Cova's arrest and community fears

Cova, 32, entered the country illegally under the Biden-Harris administration and was arrested after being identified as an alleged recruiter for Tren de Aragua. The gang, which originated in Venezuela, is known for its extreme violence and criminal activities, and its expansion in Texas has raised alarms among local authorities: 

Fox 26 Houston initially reported on the arrest and interviewed several Sharpstown residents, who expressed growing concern about safety in the area. One local resident noted that the community has already been impacted by the news and are calling for more robust police intervention to prevent the situation from escalating:

"I think it’s bad for the neighborhood and for the community and I think the police department and authorities need to do something about it before we get to a serious situation," they said.

Gov. Abbott's response

Cova's arrest is part of a series of measures taken by Texas authorities in response to the growing threat posed by TdA.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has amped up the crackdown on this criminal group, which he recently designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

"We will track down this vicious gang wherever they are, arrest them, and put them in jail," Governor Abbott said. He also noted that he will not allow this gang to use Texas as a base of operations to "terrorize our citizens."

In addition, the state has put in place a reward of $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of gang members involved in crimes in Texas.