Texas Governor Declares Tren de Aragua a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Governor Abbott launches statewide operation to combat the violent Venezuelan gang's growing presence in the U.S..

Governor Greg Abbott announced the designation of Tren de Aragua (TdA) as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to disrupt their criminal activities in Texas.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will elevate TdA to a Tier 1 gang and create a specialized strike team to target gang members.
Over 100 suspected TdA members were involved in a violent border incident in El Paso earlier this year, highlighting the gang's aggressive tactics.
Texas plans to use new laws and enhanced penalties, including a mandatory 10-year minimum sentence for smuggling, to combat TdA's operations.
State and federal agencies will collaborate to build a database to track and identify TdA members, leveraging resources from Texas Anti-Gang Centers.