By For those living near the border, Donald Trump’s return to the White House can’t come soon enough. In a troubling escalation of violence, members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been making increasingly aggressive attempts to force their way into the United States, particularly at border crossings near El Paso, Texas, according to a new report from The New York Post. Texas law enforcement officials caution that these incursions are likely to continue, with intelligence suggesting another large-scale breach may be planned for New Year’s Day.
Recent incidents have involved groups of gang members armed with knives, tire irons, and makeshift weapons attempting to overpower border security personnel. According to an anonymous informant, the gang’s strategy focuses on targeting Texas National Guard soldiers, especially during late-night hours when security presence is thinner, increasing their chances of success.
OPEN BORDER: Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is planning a big last-minute border attack before President Trump takes office. pic.twitter.com/AA5ONK0GOw
— @amuse (@amuse) January 1, 2025
Throughout Biden’s tenure, El Paso has declared a state of emergency as the city has filled with illegal immigrants crossing from Mexico. In 2023, the Biden administration was accused of building a Potemkin Village in the city to hide the growing problems on the southern border.
Retired Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent Victor Avila told The Post that this surge in violence stems from a growing sense of urgency among gang members. With President-elect Donald Trump preparing to assume office, TdA operatives appear determined to exploit the current border conditions before anticipated policy changes make illegal crossings far more challenging. Avila explained, “You’re witnessing this level of aggression because they know the situation is about to change drastically. They understand they’ll face more aggressive pursuit under the new administration.”
El Paso has emerged as a critical hub for Tren de Aragua’s operations, serving as both an entry point into the United States and a transit zone for members heading to cities such as New York City and Denver. In the latter, one branch of the gang has turned an apartment complex into a “torture hub.”
Intelligence reports indicate that the gang has established partnerships with Mexican drug cartels, allowing them to coordinate smuggling operations and other criminal enterprises across both sides of the border.
In response to the gang’s growing influence, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has officially designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. This designation emphasizes the state’s commitment to combating the gang’s activities and includes harsher legal penalties, such as a mandatory 10-year minimum sentence for individuals caught smuggling migrants on behalf of TdA.
The recent entry and expansion of the vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, is a dangerous and deadly problem facing our state and nation,” said Abbott. “Our top focus is the safety and security of all Texans. To address this looming threat, I have ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to launch a statewide operation directly targeting Tren de Aragua to deter and disrupt their criminal operation. I am also officially designating Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. Our goal is to defend Texas from the growing threat of the gang. We will not let them use Texas as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens. They have a target on their back, and we are going after them. Texas is the wrong state for them to try to do business in.”
Despite the deployment of additional law enforcement resources and heightened security measures, gang-related violence at the border remains a persistent and growing challenge. In recent altercations, National Guard soldiers have been subjected to physical attacks, with gang members using improvised weapons to inflict harm and disrupt border operations.
Avila characterized TdA’s approach as a form of terrorism, suggesting that their objectives go beyond criminal profit. “This isn’t just about smuggling or financial gain—it’s about exerting control and causing destabilization. Their actions mirror those of terrorist organizations,” he said.
“For several years, the criminal group has terrorized South American countries, including Venezuela, its country of origin, as well as Bolivia, Colombia, Chile and Peru. Retired general Óscar Naranjo, a former vice president of Colombia and chief of the Colombian National Police, told CNN Tren de Aragua is ‘the most disruptive criminal organization operating nowadays in Latin America, a true challenge for the region,’” explained CNN this past June.
Local officials are urging increased vigilance as they brace for further violent incursions in the coming weeks as the gang tries to take advantage of the final weeks of Biden’s disastrous tenure in the White House.
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