Law enforcement officials are sounding the alarm on the infiltration of two notorious South American gangs amidst the flow of migrants into the United States. The gangs, known as "Tren de Aragua" from Venezuela and its Peruvian faction "Los Hijos de Dios", have been implicated in violent attacks in various parts of the U.S., including an attack on a New York City Police officer and the killing of a nursing student in Georgia. As reported by FOX San Antonio, there are concerns that these individuals pass themselves off as asylum-seeking migrants, making them difficult to detect without diplomatic ties to Venezuela.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Border Sheriffs have been alerted to the arrival of two additional South American gangs, "Los Choneros" from Ecuador and "Los Hijos de Dios" -- a faction based in Peru. Both groups are thought to be merging with migrant groups to enter the United States undetected. As migrants seeking asylum, it's hard to separate fact from fiction, especially when individuals like members of Los Choneros and Los Hijos de Dios slip through undetected, posing a challenge to border security operations across the nation.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control took action against Los Choneros, citing their purported connections to the famed Sinaloa Cartel. This move underscores the expanding web of criminal influence these gangs wield, far beyond their countries of origin. The Border Sheriff's Coalition, a group convening every few months, is now faced with the daunting task of staying ahead of these criminal organizations' attempts to exploit the surge in migrants seeking new lives in the U.S.
With warmer weather forecasting a rise in migrant numbers, Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland voiced concerns over individuals labeled as getaways, referring to gang members entering the country under the pretense of seeking employment. According to intelligence gathered by Panamanian agency SENAFRONT, hundreds of South Americans have already traversed perilous routes such as the Darien Jungle to reach Panama, a critical gateway en route to the U.S. border, as FOX San Antonio reported.
The presence of Tren de Aragua has become particularly alarming due to their violent reputation and sophisticated operations. Members, including young adults as young as 17, are known to lack identifying tattoos, further complicating efforts to single them out during migrant processing. However, FOX San Antonio learned from a retired Homeland Security Investigations agent that despite the intelligence-sharing hurdles posed by a lack of diplomatic ties with Panama and Venezuela, efforts are ongoing to disrupt the gang's activities.
Local law enforcement in Texas has taken notice of the situation, with the FBI's El Paso office confirming the arrest of dozens of Tren de Aragua members in the previous fiscal year. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, when prodded for data on the detention of Venezuelan migrants, disclosed a count of six individuals, although it remains unclear if any are affiliated with the notorious gang. This information, highlighted by FOX San Antonio, accents the urgency facing law enforcement agencies as they grapple with the dual challenge of humanitarian crisis and criminal infiltration.
