Over 40 people, including minors allegedly linked to the Venezuelan transnational gang Tren de Aragua, were apprehended in a joint operation by the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Homeland Security.
The operation was carried out on Tuesday.
For more than a year, the FBI, ICE, San Antonio Police Department, DPS, and other federal, state, and local agencies have reportedly been conducting a cooperative investigation into the gang and its suspected members.
The sheriff’s office and DPS executed a search warrant on a Hays County residence suspected of being utilized by Tren de Aragua members.
The exact location of the arrested individuals’ imprisonment is unknown at this time.
The investigation is ongoing, and prosecutors will use evidence gathered during the search to determine charges.
On January 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order classifying certain transnational gangs and drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. The order took effect on February 20, 2025.
Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization, has expanded its operations in the United States and Latin America, aided by the Venezuelan refugee crisis.
