Border Patrol, FBI leaders who first identified Tren de Aragua recount gang’s rise to power

The Rise of Tren de Aragua: A Venezuelan Gang’s Threat to National Security

In recent years, a notorious Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua (TdA) has emerged as a significant threat to national security in the United States. The gang, which translates to "The Aragua Train," originated in El Paso, Texas, and has since spread its influence across the country, leaving a trail of violence and criminal activity in its wake. The Trump administration has officially recognized TdA as a national security threat, a designation that comes after years of warnings from law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol. These agencies sounded the alarm early on, but their concerns were initially met with skepticism and inaction until the gang’s reach began to infiltrate cities nationwide.

The story of Tren de Aragua’s rise in the U.S. began with a surge of Venezuelan migrants crossing the border in El Paso. In 2022 and 2023, Border Patrol agents noticed a dramatic increase in the number of Venezuelans entering the area, with over 71,000 crossings in the El Paso sector alone in 2023. While many of these migrants were fleeing dire conditions in their home country, criminals within the flow saw an opportunity to exploit the situation. Tren de Aragua, a ruthless and highly organized gang, began to hide in plain sight among the migrants, using the chaos to establish a foothold in the U.S. Border Patrol agents and the FBI quickly realized that this was not just another street gang; it was a violent organization with a clear intent to expand its operations across America.

Law enforcement officials in El Paso were among the first to identify the threat posed by Tren de Aragua. Interim Chief Patrol Agent Walter Slosar of the El Paso Sector recalled that the collaboration between Border Patrol and the FBI was instrumental in sounding the alarm. "We were really able to sound the alarm working together," Slosar said. "It immediately became obvious that this was not just some other street gang but a very violent gang with very bad intentions." The agencies worked tirelessly to gather intelligence on the gang, often with little support from Venezuelan authorities, who provided limited assistance. Tim Sullivan, chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrol Special Operations Group, described the process as "an uphill battle," where agents had to start from scratch to build a repository of knowledge about the gang.

Through hundreds of hours of interviews with migrants and extensive field work, law enforcement officials learned to identify Tren de Aragua members by their distinctive tattoos and specific behaviors. The gang operates with a sophistication and brutality that sets it apart from other criminal organizations, including the notorious MS-13. El Paso FBI Special Agent in Charge John Morales emphasized that Tren de Aragua "has a whole different network of how they work, how they extort, and how they exploit the people around them." Morales stressed that while there may be similarities between the two gangs, Tren de Aragua is "a completely different animal."

The scope of Tren de Aragua’s criminal activities is staggering. The gang is involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, and modern slavery, among other crimes. Border Patrol Special Operations Supervisor Hamid Nikseresht described the gang’s operations as ruthless and opportunistic, stating, "Sex trafficking, extortion, thefts, high-end retail theft, any type of anything to be able to make money and any type of violence you can think of is certainly on the table with these guys." Their disregard for humanity and the law has made them a formidable and dangerous force in the U.S.

Despite the severity of the threat, it took years for the public and higher-level officials to take the warnings seriously. Initially, many dismissed the concerns raised by law enforcement, including the mayor of El Paso, who suggested that claims about the gang’s criminal activity were exaggerated. However, the reality of the threat became undeniable as Tren de Aragua began to infiltrate cities across the country. Morales emphasized the importance of understanding the gang’s reach, stating, "Folks need to understand that Tren de Aragua has no limits, has no boundaries, and there’s no stopping them once they get a foothold." The gang’s spread into Middle America served as a wake-up call for federal officials, who finally began to prioritize taking down the organization.

Today, the Trump administration has recognized Tren de Aragua as a national security threat, and law enforcement agencies are now empowered to address the issue with renewed vigor. FBI and Border Patrol agents have expressed relief and determination, noting that they are finally able to do their jobs to the fullest extent. Sullivan described the moment as "transformative in the modern history of United States law enforcement," where agents are enabled and encouraged to protect their communities. As Tren de Aragua continues to pose a significant threat, the collaboration between federal agencies and the commitment of law enforcement officials remain critical in the fight against this dangerous gang.