Tren de Aragua, the notorious Venezuelan prison gang turned transnational crime syndicate, is ramping up its violent efforts at the U.S.-Mexico border just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. A leaked memo from the Texas Department of Public Safety, reported by the New York Post, reveals that 20 members of this ruthless gang attempted to breach an El Paso border crossing last week, armed with crude weapons such as blades, tire irons, and broken liquor bottles. And they’re just getting started.
According to the memo, an anonymous informant warned that TDA is orchestrating nightly border incursions, aiming to harm Texas National Guard soldiers stationed near the border. Their tactics are as barbaric as their intentions are clear: to intimidate, infiltrate, and wreak havoc. “Gunfire has picked up big time” near the El Paso area, a law enforcement source noted, prompting authorities to ramp up their response with non-lethal deterrents like pepper balls. But it’s clear this escalating violence is a prelude to something more sinister.
Victor Avila, a former DHS agent, aptly described the gang’s growing aggression as a desperate reaction to the incoming Trump administration. With Tom Homan as Trump’s border czar, the days of cartel-backed gangs waltzing across the border are numbered. Trump’s team has made it abundantly clear: their mass deportation efforts will prioritize criminals and gang members, and they won’t hesitate to tighten the noose on groups like TDA.
While Venezuela currently refuses to cooperate with U.S. repatriation flights, Trump and Homan are expected to break that stalemate. Reports indicate that deals with countries like Guatemala to accept deported aliens are already in place. This administration isn’t about to let diplomatic hurdles stand in the way of protecting American citizens.
TDA’s alliances with Mexican cartels only add to the urgency. These criminal networks are more than smuggling operations—they’re entities with a terrorist-like mission to undermine the American way of life. “They hate the United States just like terrorists do,” Avila warned, describing their penchant for violence, intimidation, and outright destruction.
Meanwhile, Alfonso Aguilar, former chief of the U.S. Office of Citizenship, highlighted the timing. Criminal organizations like TDA are rushing to infiltrate the U.S. while they still can. Under the Trump administration, the revolving door of catch-and-release policies that defined the Biden years will be slammed shut.
The Democrats’ border failures are on full display here. Biden’s policies have turned the southern border into an open invitation for chaos. These gangs don’t fear consequences—they’ve had none for years. The left has allowed the border to become a breeding ground for criminals who laugh at the fecklessness of a party more concerned with virtue signaling than national security. As Trump prepares to take the reins, Americans can take heart: the adults are back in charge, and the days of treating border security like a suggestion are over.
