Executive Summary
- Over 140 migrants were taken into custody in a multi-agency federal raid in San Antonio on Sunday morning.
- Authorities stated the operation was aimed at disrupting the criminal presence of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
- The raid was carried out by the newly announced Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF-South Texas), established to combat transnational criminal organizations.
SAN ANTONIO – A newly formed federal task force took more than 140 migrants into custody during a large-scale operation on the North Side of San Antonio early Sunday, which authorities have linked to the Venezuelan-based transnational criminal gang, Tren de Aragua. The joint operation involved multiple federal, state, and local agencies and was described as a disruption of the gang’s criminal activities in the region.
The Operation
The raid occurred around 2 a.m. Sunday near Basse Road and San Pedro Avenue. In a news release issued Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confirmed the arrests. Those taken into custody, identified as migrants from Venezuela, Honduras, Mexico, and other South American countries lacking permanent legal status, were transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The operation was conducted by the recently established regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF-South Texas). Officials credited the Texas Department of Public Safety, stating their work on an underlying state case led to the federal search warrant. “This operation would not have been possible without the support of the Texas Department of Public Safety,” the news release stated.
New Federal Task Force
The announcement of the raid coincided with the official launch of the HSTF-South Texas. According to the release, the task force was created as a regional component of the national Homeland Security Task Force, established pursuant to Executive Order 14159, signed by President Donald Trump. Its mission is to investigate and dismantle transnational criminal organizations engaged in sophisticated criminal schemes. “In close collaboration with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we are dedicated to dismantling the cartels and criminal networks responsible for violent crime, human trafficking, and drug smuggling,” said FBI San Antonio Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran.
Community Reaction and Gang Background
Residents and local business owners in the area reported hearing loud bangs and seeing helicopters and a heavy law enforcement presence early Sunday morning. Tren de Aragua, also known as TdA, originated in a Venezuelan prison and is primarily known for its involvement in human smuggling, extortion, and contract killings rather than large-scale drug trafficking, according to the Associated Press. The federal news release did not specify what charges the individuals taken into custody might face. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.