New data from The Department of Homeland Security showed more than 600 migrants in the United States may have connections to the well-known Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The group has been a growing concern for the FBI because of its involvement in human smuggling, extortion and drug trafficking.
According to the report obtained by NBC News, around 100 of the 600 migrants DHS named as “subjects of interest” are confirmed members of the gang that the department wanted to put on an FBI watchlist.
DHS says the others could be members, victims or witnesses.
The data also revealed Tren de Aragua has a known presence in at least 15 states and possibly eight others.
Most people in the U.S. first learned about the gang in August when a video of armed men storming an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado, went viral.
The Aurora Police Department later confirmed members of the gang were in the city.
The issue of immigration has become a main talking point in the final weeks of former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. He has said his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris hasn’t done enough on the immigration issue as vice president.
Harris visited the U.S.-Mexico border in September and promised “common-sense” solutions.
DHS said determining the exact number of Tren de Aragua members in the U.S. is a challenge because unlike most countries, Venezuela doesn’t share its criminal histories with U.S. officials.
That makes it difficult for border agents to identify the gang members. For that reason, law enforcement officials believe the number may be higher.
