Trump Administration To Designate Venezuelan Gang 'Tren de Aragua' a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Donald Trump is set to designate the Venezuelan-born gang 'Tren de Aragua' as a foreign terrorist organization, following months of using the group as an example of criminal immigrants entering the United States during the Biden administration.

The official announcement was published on The White House's website, updated once Trump was sworn in on Monday. "President Trump will begin the process of designating cartels, including the dangerous Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organizations and use the Alien Enemies Act to remove them," reads a portion of the document titled "The Trump-Vance Administration priorities.

Trump had anticipated his willingness to designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations during his inaugural speech. "Under the orders I'll signed today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations," he said, adding that, under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, he will crack down on foreign criminal gangs.

The designation as foreign terrorist organization would enable the U.S. government to impose financial sanctions, block bank accounts, deport members, bar their entry into the country, and even conduct security or military operations against these groups.

The mention of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a rarely used legal measure, is meant to bolster actions against foreign criminal groups, a strategy which aligns with his broader campaign narrative, which portrayed the U.S. as being under siege by external threats.

The president also declared that illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border would be treated as a national emergency, announcing plans to deploy troops to secure the border and to resume construction of the border wall. While the scope of the wall expansion was not specified, Trump stated that the Department of Defense would play a central role in advancing the project. Additionally, his administration will seek to end the "catch and release" policy, which allows migrants to remain in the U.S. while awaiting immigration court hearings.

During one of his first press conferences as president-elect back in December, Trump specifically called out the "Tren de Aragua" gang, saying his administration would deport its members and that Venezuela, where the gang originated, would accept deportees.

"They will take them back," Trump said, adding that Venezuela would face "tough economic consequences" if it refused to accept those deported. "Venezuela and other countries didn't behave very well during my first term. In 24 hours, they will behave very well."