AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Southeast Lower Michigan faced an unwelcome visitor recently when a Venezuelan national with alleged ties to the violent Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang surfaced in the area. Authorities apprehended the suspect in Auburn Hills, a suburb north of downtown Detroit, following a shoplifting incident last week, with U.S. Border Patrol and local law enforcement working together to take him into custody.
From Caracas to cashmere, a gangster’s journey.
This guy wasn’t just browsing a clothing store for a deal on socks when the alleged shoplifting incident occurred. The TdA gang that he’s linked to is a Venezuelan export that’s been creating havoc in the U.S. with drug trafficking, extortion, human smuggling and more.
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Law enforcement soon learned that the man was wanted in Colorado on charges of kidnapping-sex offense/robbery, aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon/intent to kill, burglary of a dwelling, extortion, felony menacing, and committing a violent crime with a weapon, according to the Detroit News.
The suspect now has the added charge of overstaying his visit to the U.S. under 8 U.S.C. 1253, which has penalties related to failure to depart the U.S. after a removal order.
Michigan’s gangland cameo collection.
This isn’t Tren de Aragua’s first Michigan rodeo. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s Detroit Field Office recently bragged on Facebook about snagging over 20 of these gang members at state entry points.
Trump targets the gang.
Trump has been doggedly pursuing criminal illegal immigrants since he came into office, delivering on a campaign promise. Immediately signing an Executive Order on his first day in office declaring a National Emergency at the southern border, the president hasn’t stopped there.
U.S. freezes assets and cuts off TdA from financial system in terror designation.
On February 20th, the Trump administration’s State Department designated TdA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs). According to the press release on this, “Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks. As a result of actions taken today, all property and interests in property of those designated today that are in the United States or that are in possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Moreover, designations can assist law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and governments.”
Obama-appointed judge blocks American safety.
On Saturday, March 15th, President Trump also invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport suspected members of the Venezuelan gang – but this, not surprisingly, was already temporarily blocked by a Obama-appointed federal judge over the weekend after Trump was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward.
Bye-bye criminals.
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Meanwhile, in a recent development, the United States deported over 250 alleged gang members over the weekend, primarily from the Venezuelan gang TdA, to El Salvador according to the New York Post.
The deportees were received by Salvadoran authorities and transferred to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a maximum-security prison known for its stringent conditions. This move is part of a broader agreement between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, in which El Salvador agreed to house these individuals for a fee.
Despite a judge’s order to halt the deportations, Trump officials maintained that flights already in progress were beyond U.S. jurisdiction and that the Alien Enemies Act was not reviewable by a federal court. They also argued that an injunction is not ordered until it’s in the written filing
Chief Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ordered the Trump administration to submit details by noon today on its recent deportation of Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador.
Biden’s border blunders fueled TdA’s rise.
While the Biden-Harris administration took limited action against TdA, President Trump has indicated a different approach – including arrests and deportations. Many Americans concerned about the gang’s activities are hopeful he will continue on this path.
As Michigan and the rest of the nation grapple with the fallout from weak border policies and the growing influence of gangs under the Biden-Harris administration, the stakes have never been higher. Violent crimes are unfolding in our neighborhoods, while the Democratic Party seems determined to enable their presence. The fight against TdA is far from over, and everyday Americans are left wondering: How many more TdA members remain hidden among us, and why does the Democratic Party support turning them loose in our communities?
