Red state hunts Tren de Aragua terrorists as judges light ‘credibility on fire’ fighting deportations: senator

Tennessee officials are locked in a fierce battle against members of a notorious Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua (TdA), amid a broader national debate over immigration policies, particularly concerning the deportation of illegal immigrants linked to violent criminal organizations. The Trump administration has taken a firm stance, recently deporting nearly 240 TdA members to El Salvador. This action was carried out despite a legal challenge from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who sought to halt deportations under a wartime powers act invoked by President Donald Trump. The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the deportation of nationals from enemy nations without a hearing, has been invoked by the Trump administration to justify these actions. The act has been used only three times before in U.S. history—during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.

Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn has been a vocal supporter of the administration’s approach, asserting that President Trump has the constitutional authority to deport criminal illegal aliens, particularly those associated with foreign terrorist organizations like TdA. Blackburn emphasized that the deportations are in line with judicial orders and uphold the rule of law. She also highlighted the violent crimes attributed to TdA members, including a transnational sex trafficking ring operating in Tennessee that has forced women into modern-day slavery. Blackburn criticized activist judges who oppose these deportations, arguing that their actions undermine the legal system and public safety. The gang’s presence in the U.S. has been linked to a range of violent crimes, including murder, kidnapping, and drug trafficking, and its operations have been reported in multiple states, with strongholds in Colorado and New York.

The Department of State designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization on February 20, marking a significant step in efforts to combat the gang’s influence. TdA, which has thousands of members, has been accused of infiltrating the U.S. from South and Central America and engaging in hostile actions against the country. The White House has also linked TdA to Cártel de los Soles, a Venezuelan-based narco-terrorism group backed by the Nicolás Maduro regime. According to the White House, TdA’s mass migration to the U.S. is part of a broader strategy by the Maduro regime to harm American citizens and destabilize public safety. The gang’s growth and influence can be traced back to the tenure of Tareck El Aissami, who served as governor of Aragua from 2012 to 2017 before becoming Venezuela’s vice president. El Aissami’s leadership during this period is said to have enabled TdA’s expansion and criminal activities.

Former DEA agent Wesley Tabor, who was stationed in Venezuela from 2010 to 2013, has provided critical insights into TdA’s operations. Tabor explained that TdA members initially concentrated in large U.S. cities like Chicago, New York, and El Paso but later relocated to quieter areas to evade law enforcement. In these smaller communities, they established networks with family members and other associates, bringing in additional TdA members. Unlike other gangs, such as MS-13, TdA members do not have distinct identifiers like tattoos, making them harder to identify. Their crimes range from kidnapping and murder to sexual assault, often going undetected as gang-related. Tabor also revealed that many TdA members were sent to the U.S. by the Maduro regime, including individuals released from Venezuelan prisons and asylums, with the explicit purpose of destabilizing communities. This influx has led to an escalation in criminal activity, with cases becoming increasingly frequent.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), in collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has made significant strides in combating TdA’s operations. On February 14, eight TdA members were arrested in Tennessee for their involvement in a transnational sex trafficking ring operating out of Nashville motels. The suspects allegedly trafficked women and girls across the border as part of a commercial sex enterprise between July 2022 and March 2024. ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud described the operation as a major victory in the fight against human trafficking and transnational organized crime, emphasizing the importance of interagency collaboration. TBI Director David Rausch affirmed Tennessee’s commitment to preventing TdA and other criminal organizations from gaining a foothold in the state. U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire vowed to continue targeting transnational criminal organizations and holding traffickers accountable while supporting victims of trafficking.

The challenge posed by TdA is not limited to Tennessee; the gang operates in at least 19 states, and law enforcement agencies nationwide are struggling to identify and apprehend its members. Tabor noted that smaller cities and states with limited experience dealing with such gangs face significant difficulties in addressing the issue. However, he credited the Trump administration with improving federal support and streamlining the deportation process through the use of the Alien Enemies Act. This shift has allowed authorities to cut through bureaucratic red tape and more effectively detain and deport TdA members. Despite these efforts, the fight against TdA and other criminal organizations remains an ongoing and complex battle, requiring continued collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies.