Federal Authorities Charge More Than 25 Tren de Aragua Members in Nationwide Gang Crackdown

Key Facts

Published: May 12, 2026 Location: Washington D.C. Source: Department of Justice, Wire Services

• Federal authorities charged more than 25 Tren de Aragua members and associates in a nationwide crackdown following the gang’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
• The operation resulted in the seizure of more than 80 firearms and 18 kilograms of narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA, and other drugs.
• Trump administration officials said the takedown reflects a broader campaign to dismantle foreign gang networks operating inside the United States and restore public safety.

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Federal authorities have charged more than 25 members and associates of Tren de Aragua, the violent Venezuelan-born criminal network recently designated by the Trump administration as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, in a sweeping nationwide crackdown aimed at dismantling the gang’s expanding footprint inside the United States.

The Department of Justice announced Monday that the coordinated operation, carried out through Homeland Security Task Force investigations, led to the seizure of more than 80 firearms and 18 kilograms — approximately 39 pounds — of narcotics. The Justice Department said the arrests and charges were part of a broader effort to target Tren de Aragua’s leadership, trafficking operations, and domestic support network.

Investigators recovered fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine, MDMA, and “tusi,” a pink powder often containing ketamine and/or MDMA, according to federal officials.

The charges were filed across six U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including the District of Colorado, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Indiana, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, and Eastern District of Washington.

“This FBI and our interagency partners continue to break violent gang networks all over America, and today’s massive takedown of 25 Tren de Aragua members is just the latest example,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital.

“Under President Trump’s leadership the historic Homeland Security Task Force model is making America safer than it’s been in generations — and we won’t stop until we root these criminal networks completely out of our communities,” Patel added.

Trump Administration Targets Foreign Gang Networks

The crackdown reflects the Trump administration’s intensified campaign to confront foreign criminal organizations operating inside the United States, particularly those accused of bringing violence, narcotics, human trafficking, and firearms crimes into American communities.

By formally designating Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, federal authorities have elevated the gang from a law enforcement threat to a national security priority. That designation allows the government to bring expanded investigative and prosecutorial tools against the group and its associates.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the operation demonstrated the administration’s determination to restore public safety and enforce the rule of law.

“In a few days, the Justice Department and its partners on Joint Task Force Vulcan carried out a nationwide takedown of vicious Tren de Aragua terrorist networks — depraved, violent offenders who have illegally invaded our country and preyed upon American communities,” Blanche said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“This effort underscores the Trump Administration’s dedication to restoring public safety, dismantling violent firearms and drug trafficking networks, and enforcing law and order,” he added.

Federal Agencies Praise Unified Operation

Federal immigration and homeland security officials also praised the multi-agency effort, saying the arrests showed the strength of coordinated law enforcement action against transnational threats.

“The success of this operation is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our HSI special agents and the unwavering commitment of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said John Condon, acting executive associate director of Homeland Security Investigations.

“The Homeland Security Task Force’s mission is to safeguard the United States from transnational threats by leveraging intelligence-driven investigations and robust interagency collaboration,” Condon continued.

“This TdA takedown demonstrates the power of unified action in disrupting dangerous criminal networks and protecting our communities.”

Federal officials said the Homeland Security Task Force model is designed to direct the full weight of U.S. law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting crimes committed by transnational organizations that have fueled violence and instability inside America’s borders.

The arrests mark one of the most visible federal actions yet against Tren de Aragua since its terrorist designation — and a clear signal that the administration intends to treat foreign gang activity not merely as street crime, but as a direct threat to national sovereignty, border security, and the safety of American families.

For communities long burdened by drug trafficking, violent crime, and unchecked cartel-style networks, the message from Washington is unmistakable: law and order is being reasserted, and foreign criminal organizations are being put on notice.

Latest Worthy News