Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua Expands Its Deadly Grip to the U.S.

The Tren de Aragua gang, born in a Venezuelan prison, is expanding its violent operations across Latin America and now into the U.S. With over 100 criminal cases linked to the group in the U.S., the gang’s presence is raising alarms among law enforcement.

From Venezuelan Prison to Transnational Power

The Tren de Aragua gang has its roots in Venezuela’s notorious Tocorón prison, where it emerged as a dominant criminal organization in less than a decade. Originally a localized prison gang, Tren de Aragua grew into a powerful force under the tacit approval of Venezuelan authorities. The prison, with its zoo, pool, and nightclubs, allowed gang leaders to operate with unprecedented autonomy, using their influence to expand beyond the prison walls and into Venezuela’s broader criminal underworld.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the gang soon evolved into one of the most feared criminal organizations in Latin America, engaging in drug trafficking, extortion, and even contract killings. Its members are notorious for extreme violence, often dismembering rivals and leaving bodies in public places as a warning to others. This brutality earned them comparisons to the infamous MS-13, with some law enforcement officials dubbing them “MS-13 on steroids.”

The economic collapse of Venezuela, fueled by hyperinflation and widespread poverty under the regime of Nicolás Maduro, created fertile ground for the Tren de Aragua to expand its operations. As millions of Venezuelans fled the country in search of better opportunities, the gang followed the migration routes, establishing networks across Latin America.

Tren de Aragua’s Expansion into Latin America and the U.S.

In their search for new criminal markets, Tren de Aragua quickly spread across multiple Latin American countries, including Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and, more recently, the United States. According to the WSJ’s reporting, the gang’s involvement in transnational crime has grown exponentially, leading to their infiltration of new territories.

In Colombia, the gang found a foothold in Bogotá’s working-class neighborhoods, where it competes with other criminal groups for control over drug trafficking, prostitution, and extortion rackets. The gang’s violence escalated to new heights in Colombia, with reports of rivals being dismembered and left in trash bags on the streets. The Colombian government, already dealing with its powerful armed militias like the Gulf Clan, now faces an additional threat from Tren de Aragua, which has ambitions to take control of drug and migrant trafficking routes to the U.S.

In Chile, the gang exploited the absence of organized crime networks to establish itself as a significant criminal player. Once considered one of the safest countries in Latin America, Chile has seen a dramatic rise in homicides and kidnappings since the arrival of Tren de Aragua. Chilean authorities attribute a 31% increase in murders since 2019 to the gang’s brutal tactics. One particularly gruesome case involved the kidnapping and murder of a Venezuelan dissident, whose body was found buried under concrete in a shantytown.

Peru and Ecuador have also become lucrative territories for the gang’s drug trafficking operations. In these countries, Tren de Aragua has set up extensive networks to traffic cocaine and marijuana, often in cooperation with local criminal elements. Extortion and protection rackets, commonly known as “vaccines,” are widespread, with local businesses being targeted for monthly payments under the threat of violence.

However, perhaps the most concerning development is Tren de Aragua’s growing presence in the United States. According to the WSJ, U.S. law enforcement has linked the gang to over 100 criminal investigations across the country, particularly in states like Texas, Florida, and New York. Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have expressed alarm over the gang’s swift expansion into American territory.

Crimes in the U.S.

The rise of Tren de Aragua in the U.S. mirrors its expansion in Latin America—ruthless and opportunistic. The gang preys on vulnerable immigrant communities, mainly Venezuelan migrants who have settled in cities like Miami and New York. According to U.S. officials, Tren de Aragua members are suspected of a range of crimes, from armed robberies to drug trafficking and even murders.

In New York City, members of the gang have been implicated in high-profile robberies at upscale stores such as Macy’s and Sunglass Hut. According to Joseph Kenny, chief of detectives for the New York Police Department (NYPD), the gang operates with shocking efficiency, often riding mopeds to snatch phones from pedestrians before disappearing into the bustling streets. Kenny described the crime surge as “a wave we had never seen before.”

The gang’s modus operandi in the U.S. differs from their tactics in Latin America. While countries like Colombia and Chile rely heavily on extortion and violent intimidation, the U.S. focuses more on quick, high-reward crimes like large-scale retail thefts and drug trafficking. The WSJ reported that Tren de Aragua’s operations in Queens, New York, include drug distribution along Roosevelt Avenue, a bustling commercial strip.

The gang’s members are notoriously difficult to track due to the influx of Venezuelan migrants entering the U.S. through the southern border. Kenny explained that Tren de Aragua members often share migration paperwork among themselves, making it harder for law enforcement to determine who is a legitimate migrant and who is part of the gang. The lack of diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Venezuela complicates matters further, as U.S. authorities have limited access to criminal records from Venezuela.

In Miami, where a sizeable Venezuelan community has taken root, the gang is suspected of the murder of a former Venezuelan police officer, as well as a string of drug-related crimes. The gang’s reach extends beyond just Venezuelan migrants, however. They are suspected of expanding into other cities, including Chicago and Houston, as they look to establish new criminal networks across the country.

The U.S. Response: Sanctions and Crackdown

As Tren de Aragua’s presence in the U.S. grows, federal authorities are taking steps to combat the gang’s influence. In July, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the gang, targeting its financial networks and critical leaders. The State Department has also offered a $12 million reward for information leading to the arrest of three of the gang’s top leaders.

Despite these efforts, U.S. officials remain concerned about the gang’s ability to evade detection and continue its operations. ICE officials have noted the difficulty in tracking Tren de Aragua members, given their ability to blend into immigrant communities and the lack of comprehensive criminal data from Venezuela.

Homeland Security officials work closely with local law enforcement agencies in cities like New York, Miami, and Houston to dismantle Tren de Aragua’s networks. However, the gang’s rapid expansion and violent tendencies make it a formidable opponent. As one high-ranking ICE official told the WSJ, “They expanded fast in Latin America, and they’re expanding fast here.”

The U.S. response to Tren de Aragua’s rise has broader implications for immigration policy. The gang’s presence is already becoming a flashpoint in political debates, with former President Donald Trump citing “migrant crime” as a critical issue in his campaign rhetoric. Some experts, like Michael Shifter from the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, believe that the gang’s activities in the U.S. could fuel anti-immigrant sentiments and potentially influence the outcome of upcoming elections.

The Growing Threat of Tren de Aragua

The Tren de Aragua gang, born out of Venezuela’s decaying prison system, has grown into a transnational criminal organization with operations spanning multiple Latin American countries and, increasingly, the United States. With its violent brand of drug trafficking, extortion, and robbery, the gang has quickly established itself as a dangerous new player in U.S. crime.

From its brutal tactics in Colombia, Peru, and Chile to its more targeted operations in New York and Miami, Tren de Aragua represents a growing threat that law enforcement is struggling to contain. The U.S. government has begun cracking down on the gang with sanctions and rewards for information, but the group’s rapid expansion suggests that the problem will not be easily solved.

Also read: Former Green Beret Arrested for Arms Smuggling and Failed Venezuelan Coup

As the U.S. grapples with this new wave of transnational crime, the presence of Tren de Aragua raises serious questions about how to manage the intersection of immigration, law enforcement, and national security. For now, the gang continues to operate in the shadows, leaving a trail of violence and fear in its wake—both in Latin America and in the heart of the United States.