Experts are increasingly concerned about Tren de Aragua spreading to over half of the U.S. states in early 2025. The Venezuelan gang has already established a presence in at least 18 states, from the hinterlands of Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming to major cities like New York and Chicago.
John Fabbricatore, former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for Colorado and Wyoming, warns the gang has the potential to expand to more than 25 states by February.
Tren de Aragua, or TdA, originated in a Venezuelan prison and has entered the U.S. due to the southern border crisis. Certain tattoos, including a train, a crown, a clock, and an AK-47, identify members. Authorities accuse the gang of being involved in a surge of violent crimes, including murders, assaults on police, and sex trafficking.
In North Dakota, law enforcement recently detained three suspected TdA members involved in an ATM theft operation. One of the individuals, Henry Theis, was found with nearly $25,000 in cash and confessed to collaborating with others to hack ATMs. “You think, North Dakota—that’s going pretty far. But to them, there’s ATM machines there. There’s jewelry stores there. There are things to rob. There’s rich people there that they can hit their homes,” explained Fabbricatore, saying the Venezuelans “look at the United States as just one big money pit for them.”
In Aurora, Colorado, TdA allegedly commandeered apartment complexes, using one for torture. In New York, the gang has reportedly recruited young migrants from shelters into what police have dubbed the ‘Little Devils of 42nd Street.’
Concerns about the gang’s operations have even emerged in Utah, where they are reportedly linked to criminal activities like prostitution and shootings.
