DHS identifies more than 600 migrants with possible ties to vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua: report

The Department of Homeland Security has identified more than 600 migrants in the US who have possible ties to the vicious Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, according to frightening new data.About 100 of the 600 “subjects of interest” were confirmed members of Tren de Aragua — and even recommended by Homeland Security to be placed on an FBI watchlist, according to NBC, which obtained the disturbing figures.The other 500 were victims, witnesses or other members of the gang, officials said.Tren de Aragua has a known presence in 15 states, including New York City, and a possible presence in eight others, according to the report.Officials began collecting data on the gang after noticing a spike in crime committed by its members in US cities, including the Big Apple.Crimes include sex trafficking in Louisiana and the point-blank shooting of two NYPD officers, according to the report.US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested over 100 people with alleged ties with TDA since October 2022, the data said.

An additional 75 have been arrested for immigration violations and more than 20 have been referred for federal prosecution.Law enforcement experts, however, say the data shows the gap in intelligence about the gang’s presence in the US, as the Venezuelan government does not share criminal histories or other information about its immigrants with the US.“The number is almost disturbingly low,” said Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence and an NBC News contributor.“It should be higher.”The lack of information shared by Venezuela also makes it more difficult for border patrol agents to determine who among the Venezuelan migrants might be TDA members....