Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang rooted in organized crime and emerging as a significant concern for U.S. officials, finds itself in the spotlight following President Trump's application of the Alien Enemies Act. The order, focusing on individuals affiliated with the gang, faces legal challenges amid increasing scrutiny of its violent activities across Latin America.
Unraveling Tren de Aragua: The Gang Behind Trump's Controversial Order
Unraveling Tren de Aragua: The Gang Behind Trump's Controversial Order
The rising crime organization Tren de Aragua has drawn renewed attention as President Trump's executive order targeting Venezuelan citizens implicates them in transnational criminal activities.
President Trump’s recent executive action on March 15, 2025, invokes the Alien Enemies Act to target Venezuelan nationals with connections to the notorious gang Tren de Aragua, enabling their potential apprehension and removal from the United States as “Alien Enemies.” The move, swiftly met with legal opposition, highlights the increasing alarm among U.S. officials regarding the gang, which has gained notoriety over the past year. In 2024, the Biden administration officially classified Tren de Aragua as a transnational criminal organization, with the New York Police Department underlining its operations on the East Coast. The Trump administration, in an earlier initiative, started the procedure for labeling it a foreign terrorist organization.
Originating from Tocorón prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state, Tren de Aragua (meaning 'Train of Aragua') has grown into a fearsome entity. The gang has capitalized on the country's dire economic conditions and the oppressive regime of President Nicolás Maduro, manipulating vulnerable migrants in the process. It has expanded its influence through Latin America, becoming infamous for crimes like sex trafficking, human smuggling, and drug-related violence. Colombian authorities have implicated the gang in a series of murders, with disturbing evidence of body parts being uncovered in bags. There have also been arrests of supposed members in countries like Chile and Brazil, where they formed alliances with local crime syndicates, notably the Primeiro Comando da Capital.
The implications of Tren de Aragua's activities extend far beyond Venezuela, raising alarms about regional security and the complexities of international crime as authorities, including those in the U.S., grapple with the potential threats posed by such organizations.
