Violent Venecuelan gang Too de AraguaNow recognized as a threat to national security under Trump’s administration, he began in El Pas. For years, the FBI and the border patrol sounded alarms, warning that this ruthless gang was on the rise. Their concern fell on deaf ears until the reach of gangs began to infiltrate the cities by the US
Fox News first sat in El Paso with leaders from the border patrol and FBI, who first discovered and identified TDA.
“We could really sound an alarm that works together, I think it immediately became obvious that this was not just another street gang, but this was a very violent band with very bad intentions,” said the temporary patrol agent El Paso Walter Slosar.
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Meetings of migrants are the lowest in years, according to CBP.
But at the end of 2022, border patrol agents noticed a rush of Venezuelanians. This reached in 2023, with over 71,000 Venezuelanians who crossed only in the El Paso sector.
“At the time, we had thousands of people every day in this area,” Slosar said. “The criminals immediately took advantage of the flow and hid within that stream.”
Border patrol agents noticed a rush of Venezuela migrants, which peaked in 2023 with more than 71,000 Venezuelanians who exceeded the El Paso sector alone. Agents suspect the criminals used high traffic to get to the US (Getty Images)
Agents knew that there was a problem and collaborated with the FBI El Paso field office to bring together Intel and learn about this violent gang. They said that with almost no support from Venezuela had to start over.
“It was an exciting battle,” said Tim Sullivan, the main patrol agent of the US Group for Special Operations of Border Patrol. “Very limited support arrived from Venezuela. So, agents have made a duty attention to start over and build research and through partnerships with our federal partners have built a storage of knowledge we have.”
Britton Boyd, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI El Paso field office, said that through hundreds of hours of interviews, talking to the people who came across the border at the time, that they learned a lot about Banda.
Border Patrol and FBI agents learned to identify TDA members by their characteristic tattoos and specific behaviors. While some called the band “MS-13 on steroids”, the FBI in El Pasus insisted that TDA would be in their own class.
“Too de Aragua He has a completely different network as they work, how they are extinct and exploiting people around them, “said Special Agent El Paso FBI, said John Morales.” There are similarities and humans can connect with each other, but they are a completely different animal. “
FBI agents insist that the moment de Aragua works unlike other gangs. (Left: gets New York Post Center: Edward Romero right: Dea)
When asked about the violence associated with TDA, the leaders of the FBI -ai border patrol emphasized the neglect of a group for humanity and the law. They described the gang as included in people’s trade, extortion and modern slavery.
“Sex stores, extortion, theft, top quality of retail, any kind of anything you could make money, and any kind of violence you can remember is safe on the table with these guys,” said the supervisor of the border patrol of special operations Hamid Nixesesht.
It took years for the public to become aware of TDA, as many initially rejected or refused to believe the warnings of the FBI and the agents of the border patrol in El Pas. Even El Paso Mayor suggested that the claims were exaggerated after the gang had been associated with criminal activities at the Gateway Hotel in the El Pas downtown, which eventually had to shut down due to criminal activities.
“As for the door, it’s not an exaggeration,” Morales said. “This is not an exaggeration. People need to understand it. The moment de Aragua has no limit, no boundaries and … there are no stopping after they get into use, which is why it is so important that people realize that it is real. It is a real threat.”
These investigators said they believe it was only when TDA began to spread across the country, infiltrates various cities, that higher level officials began to take a serious threat.
Britton Boyd, auxiliary special agent in charge of El Paso FBI and Walter Slosar, a temporary main patrol agent El Paso, discussed the gang threat to de Aragua. (Getty Images | Fox News)
“I think they heard it out loud and clear when their criminal company began to manifest in the United States,” Slosar said. “And, I think that really sounded an alarm, when we started seeing it in Central America.”
The El Paso field office reported that he quickly realized that TDA would follow migrant routes, finding new cities for infiltration and growth of their networks.
“They will enter the city, they will infiltrate and will aim there the most sensitive people there,” Morales said.
FBI and border patrol agents said they finally felt hearing that Trump’s administration is now a priority Remove a moment de Aragua.
“We have all laid the oath to defend this country and now we are fully able to do our job,” Sullivan said.
“It is a transformative moment in the modern history of the implementation of the Law of the United States, where men and women are enabled and encouraged to go out and do their job and keep our community,” Boyd added.
