According to a report by NBC News, so far 100 have been identified as gang members. The rest remain under investigation and could later be found to be victims, witnesses or members of the gang.
The Department of Homeland Security has identified more than 600 migrants in the U.S. who may have connections to a notorious Venezuelan gang that is drawing growing concern from local and federal law enforcement officials, according to data obtained exclusively by NBC News.
Roughly 100 of the 600 migrants DHS has deemed “subjects of interest” were confirmed members of the gang whom the department recommended be placed on an FBI watchlist, officials said. The others could be found after a review to be victims, witnesses or members of the gang.
The Venezuelan gang, known as Tren de Aragua, or TDA, has a known presence in 15 states and a possible presence in eight others, according to the data.
Homeland Security officials began working to compile the data on TDA this spring after they saw a spike in crime by gang members in New York and other cities across the U.S. Crimes tied to the gang include sex trafficking in Louisiana and the point-blank shooting of two New York City police officers.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested more than 100 people suspected of being associated with TDA in connection with crimes since October 2022, the data said, and 75 have been arrested for immigration violations. More than 20 have been referred for federal prosecution.
“DHS has an ongoing operation to crack down on gang members through re-screening certain individuals previously encountered, in addition to the rigorous screening and vetting at the border," a DHS spokesperson said. "All individuals confirmed or suspected to be gang members are referred for criminal prosecution or detained and placed into expedited removal.”
Determining the exact number of TDA members who have crossed into the U.S. is an enormous challenge, because, unlike most countries, Venezuela does not share its criminal histories or other information with U.S. officials. That also makes it difficult for border agents to identify who among the Venezuelans crossing the border might be TDA members.
Law enforcement experts say the figure of 600 illustrates the gap in intelligence about the gang’s presence in the U.S. due to the lack of information provided by the Venezuelan government.
It’s frustrating to see how reactive our approach to the Tren de Aragua (TDA) threat has been. According to a recent NBC News article, Homeland Security only began accumulating intelligence on TDA this year—despite clear warning signs for years.
As TDA’s presence spread across the U.S., from sex trafficking in Louisiana to violent crimes in New York, the signs filled migrant shelters. Yet, the response came too late. We should have been proactive, not waiting until the problem grew larger. Instead, we're left playing catch-up while communities face the consequences.
Law enforcement experts note gaps in our intelligence, partly because of Venezuela’s refusal to share criminal histories, but that doesn’t change the fact that the data was already on the streets. The warning signs were there, but our system remained reactive instead of taking the necessary steps years ago.
It’s time to demand more foresight and real action—not just after the fact! We need a proactive strategy to keep our communities safe.
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