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The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced unprecedented charges against members of the violent Venezuelan illegal alien gang Tren de Aragua, using a law that was widely used against the mafia.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Matthew Podolsky made the announcement on April 22, revealing that the DOJ had charged 27 current and former Tren de Aragua members under the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Invoking this law against Tren de Aragua, which President Donald Trump has designate a foreign terror organization, marks a new escalation in the federal government’s effort to eradicate foreign gangs and cartels inside the United States.
According to Bondi, this indictment will “devastate” Tren de Aragua’s infrastructure.
“As alleged, Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that has destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” Bondi explained. “Today’s indictments and arrests span three states and will devastate TdA’s infrastructure as we work to completely dismantle and purge this organization from our country.”
The indictment charges these Tren de Aragua members with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, robbery, and firearms offenses. Other charges include carjacking and numerous other gun charges. The DOJ also noted that 19 of the 27 people being charged are allegedly members of a Tren de Aragua splinter group known as “Anti-Tren.”
27 Members or Associates of Tren de Aragua Charged with Racketeering, Narcotics, Sex Trafficking, Robbery and Firearms offenses
First RICO Charges Against TdA Members and Associates
🔗: https://t.co/EhhAFEBnUz pic.twitter.com/IjLBMq1ipz
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) April 22, 2025
The department also highlighted the fact that Tren de Aragua has been especially active in New York City, specifically in the neighborhoods of the Bronx and Queens.
“Tren de Aragua is one of the most dangerous gangs in the country, and the NYPD has taken significant action to shut down their operations in New York City,” New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch explained. “For the first time ever, TdA is being named and charged as the criminal enterprise that it is. This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering, and this gang has shown zero regard for the safety of New Yorkers.”
This news comes as the Trump administration continues to try to crack down on illegal immigration, especially illegal aliens who are members of gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS13:
