Executive Summary
- A new multi-agency Homeland Security Task Force, led by the FBI and HSI, has been formally established in South Texas to combat transnational crime.
- In one of its first major actions, the task force detained over 140 undocumented individuals in San Antonio during an operation targeting the Tren de Aragua gang.
- The operation involved federal, state, and local agencies executing a state search warrant at a commercial food truck area.
- The task force is part of a national initiative under Executive Order 14159 and includes numerous partner agencies like the DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals.
A newly formed multi-agency Homeland Security Task Force has been established in South Texas, with federal authorities announcing Monday that one of its initial operations resulted in the detention of more than 140 individuals in San Antonio. The initiative aims to coordinate efforts against transnational criminal organizations operating in the region.
The operation occurred around 3 a.m. Sunday near San Pedro Avenue and Basse Road, where agents from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the San Antonio Police Department executed a state search warrant. Officials confirmed the action was part of an effort to disrupt the criminal activities of Tren de Aragua, a gang originating from Venezuela.
According to a joint statement from the FBI and HSI, over 140 undocumented individuals from Venezuela, Honduras, Mexico, and other South American countries were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The operation was based on an underlying warrant obtained through a DPS investigation.
The task force itself, led jointly by the FBI and HSI field offices in San Antonio, is part of a national strategy established under Executive Order 14159. Its membership includes dozens of federal, state, and local agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“The Homeland Security Task Force was established as a powerful tool in the fight against transnational organized crime,” said Alex Doran, FBI San Antonio Acting Special Agent in Charge, in a press release. He added that the collaboration is dedicated to dismantling criminal networks involved in violent crime, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.
The establishment of this task force represents a significant, coordinated law enforcement effort to address organized crime in South Texas. It is important to note that individuals taken into custody are processed through administrative immigration proceedings, and any criminal charges would proceed through the judicial system where all are presumed innocent until proven guilty.