President Trump's New Order Targets Venezuelan Gang Linked to Crime Surge

President Trump's recent executive order focusing on Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization with Venezuelan roots, highlights the increasing concern over its violent methods and expansion into the U.S. and beyond, as law enforcement ramps up actions against the gang.

In a bold move against escalating crime, President Trump issued an executive order this past Saturday that invokes the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, specifically targeting Venezuelan nationals aged 14 and older affiliated with the notorious gang Tren de Aragua. The order states that these individuals "are liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies," a step that has already faced legal challenges.

The threat of Tren de Aragua has been acknowledged for some time, with the Biden administration formally designating the group as a transnational criminal organization in 2024. Cities on the East Coast have reported increasing gang activity, prompting the Trump administration’s initiative to designate Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.

Emerging from Venezuela's tumultuous landscape, Tren de Aragua, which translates to "Train of Aragua," has its origins deeply rooted in the Tocorón prison where its leaders turned the facility into a veritable hub of vice, including a pool and even attractions like a zoo. The deterioration of Venezuela’s economy and the oppressive regime under President Nicolás Maduro have allowed the gang to flourish, exploiting vulnerable migrant populations and extending its reach across Latin America.

Recent reports link the gang to heinous acts, including at least 23 murders in Colombia, where authorities discovered dismembered remains in bags, and capture of members in both Chile and Brazil. In Brazil, they joined forces with Primeiro Comando da Capital, one of the country’s largest organized crime syndicates, further amplifying their criminal footprint across national borders.

As the U.S. government ramps up its efforts to confront the menace posed by Tren de Aragua, the executive order may be just the beginning of a broader strategy to dismantle this transnational criminal network.