(NationalUSNews.com) — With the drastic rise in illegal immigration over the past few years, law enforcement officials have seen a sharp increase in gang-related activity throughout the United States.
One of the gangs that authorities have taken notice of is Tren de Aragua, a violent gang from Venezuela that has started growing its presence in the United States. Tren de Argua members began crossing the southern United States border in increasing numbers a few years ago and have grown in influence throughout the states bordering Texas. One such state is Louisiana, where police uncovered evidence of Tren de Aragua’s activity involving a sex trafficking ring.
Tren de Aragua has also expanded its influence to the East Coast, with members of the Venezuelan gang reaching as far as New York City. Members of Tren de Aragua allegedly shot two police officers in New York City after they attempted to arrest the gang members. Tren de Aragua has also reached Florida, where members of the violent gang allegedly kidnapped and killed a man from Doral. Tren de Aragua’s influence began spreading soon after the Biden administration began undoing immigration restrictions established by former President Donald Trump, likely due to the sharp increase in Venezuelans who entered the country during Biden’s first term.
Although authorities believe Tren de Aragua primarily recruits people from Venezuela, the gang has also spread throughout South America over the last few years. According to the Justice Ministry of Chile, Tren de Aragua has had a limited presence in the country since 2021. Chilean authorities believe the violent gang likely participated in the 2021 kidnapping and murder of a Venezuelan national who moved to Santiago, Chile, and that the gang has committed other crimes within the country’s borders.
Despite Tren de Aragua’s growing presence in the United States and its members committing crimes in various states, United States authorities only recently took notice of the gang’s presence. According to a source connected with United States Customs and Border Protection, authorities have notified the Biden administration of Tren de Aragua’s activities, but President Biden has intentionally refused to take action against the group.
According to the anonymous source, the White House has refused to interfere with Tren de Aragua’s actions due to concerns about how citizens would perceive President Biden. President Biden has repeatedly denied the presence of an immigration crisis and regularly criticizes Trump for his frequent statements about the lack of border security. By heeding the warning from law enforcement and taking action against Tren de Aragua members, Biden would contradict his prior statements and seemingly admit that Trump’s statements regarding immigration have legitimacy.
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