The Rise of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua Gang in the U.S. With Journalist Jennie Taer - (Video)

In this 9 September 2024 Borderland video, host Vince Vargas sits down with New York Post reporter, Jennie Taer.

For most of her career, Jennie has been reporting on activities at the Southern border. More recently, she has been covering the surge in Venezuelan migration, including the growing presence of individuals linked to the Tren de Aragua gang — a gang that has caused a surge in violent acts against American citizens and law enforcement.

Jennie Taer shares her personal experiences and concerns regarding the Venezuelan crisis and the rise of criminal organizations like the Tren de Aragua gang in the United States. Taer discusses her encounters with large groups of migrants at the border, violent confrontations between migrants and border patrol and the challenges faced by law enforcement in identifying and apprehending gang members due to sanctuary policies and the ineffectiveness of monitoring systems.

The video also touches upon the use of technology, such as phone applications and social media, by smuggling groups to facilitate illegal activity and the concerns surrounding the potential threat posed by the Tren de Aragua gang to the United States. Taer emphasizes the importance of understanding the realities of the situation and the impact on border patrol agents.

https://youtu.be/HLSmcnRcK0Q

• 00:00:00  Journalist Jennie Taer discusses her background and how she became interested in reporting on the border issue. Taer, who currently works for the New York Post and previously covered the border for the Daily Caller and Fox News, explains that she was initially focused on Middle Eastern affairs but was drawn to the border issue after being introduced to it by a reporter who took her to the border and showed her firsthand what was happening. Taer also touches on the topic of the Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan criminal organization that has been making headlines for its presence in the United States, and expresses concern about their financing and alliances in both Venezuela and the US. She emphasizes the importance of seeking truth and understanding the realities of the situation, rather than perpetuating fear or agendas.
• 00:05:00  Taer shares her personal experiences with the Venezuelan crisis and how it has evolved into something more, specifically the rise of criminal elements like the Tren de Aragua gang in the United States. She recalls seeing suffering people, mostly women and children, at the border and how the situation has become a kitchen table issue. Taer then describes her encounter with approximately 600 migrants in El Paso, Texas, who were waiting to be taken into custody by border patrol. The soldiers on the scene attempted to remove some single adults back to Mexico, leading to a violent confrontation where migrants stormed the border and assaulted the soldiers. The result was the dismissal of state charges against the individuals and their release into the United States. Taer also mentions the quick dissemination of information among criminal organizations, allowing them to take advantage of the system’s lack of consequences.
• 00:10:00  Taer discusses the global communication network of smuggling groups, which has led to an increase in people coming from countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. She mentions the role of social media, particularly Telegram and WhatsApp, in facilitating this illegal activity. Taer also shares her findings on Turkish smugglers and their continued operation through these platforms. Despite a recent slowdown in border crossings, Taer believes the effects of the past few years of record-breaking crossings will be felt for a longer time. She also discusses the rise of organized crime in New York City, including gun smuggling into migrant shelters and snatch-and-grab moped gangs. Taer notes the impact of sanctuary cities, which provide resources and protection for immigrants, leading some to be pulled towards these areas.
• 00:15:00  The discussion revolves around the challenges faced by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in identifying and apprehending members of the Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan criminal organization, in the United States. The speakers explain that due to sanctuary policies, some Venezuelan migrants who commit crimes, including attacks on police officers, are released without notification to ICE, making it difficult for the federal authorities to locate and detain them. The gang members are often not identified at the border when they enter the country and recruit new members once they are in the United States. The speakers also mention that the leaders of the gang gave a green light to shoot cops in the United States, adding to the urgency of the situation.
• 00:20:00  The discussion revolves around the identification of the Tren de Aragua gang in the United States and the challenges law enforcement faces in recognizing their tattoos. The speakers note that the gang, which has a disdain for law enforcement and a less-than-human view of people in their home country, has given a green light to operate in the US and primarily focuses on attacking law enforcement. The five-point crown tattoo is identified as a common mark associated with the gang, and there is a guide disseminated to the NYPD detailing various gang-related tattoos. The border control’s inability to process and detain these individuals effectively contributes to the issue, as many are released on asylum claims and may disappear before their immigration court dates. The case of Joselyn Nung, a 12-year-old girl murdered by two Venezuelan men who had recently entered the country, highlights the complications and dangers posed by the unaccounted-for individuals released into the US.
• 00:25:00  The discussion revolves around the ineffectiveness of the monitoring system for immigrants who abscond from the program. The speakers explain that once these individuals break their monitoring agreements, there is no system in place to track them or alert ICE to pursue them. This is often due to the fact that they do not have a sponsored address, and once they have their first immigration hearing, they are removed from monitoring. The speakers also mention that the enrollment for monitoring is only up until the first hearing, which can take several years, and the average time for the complete adjudication of these immigration cases is around four years. The speakers express concern over the number of criminals, including suspected gang members, who are able to slip through the system and remain in the United States despite committing crimes. The case of Daniel Hernandez Martinez is mentioned as an example of an individual who arrived in the United States recently, committed crimes in a sanctuary city, and was released each time, eventually being identified as a suspected gang member. The speakers argue that the current system puts pressure on agents to be efficient, leading to the release of individuals who are later identified as threats.
• 00:30:00  The discussion turns to the challenges faced by border control agencies in processing the influx of migrants entering the United States. The speakers explain that some individuals, including those allegedly tied to ISIS, have entered the country legally through a phone application called CBP1, which allows migrants to make appointments for asylum claims and enter at designated ports of entry. The border patrol is reportedly overwhelmed with processing large numbers of migrants, sometimes up to 800 or 1000 in two days, and has had to call on other agencies like the Federal Air Marshals for support. These agencies have been assisting with processing and providing resources to migrants, but some feel demoralized and concerned about the potential security risks. The speakers also mention that regular flights for agencies like the Federal Air Marshals have been disrupted due to these deployments to the border.
• 00:35:00  The discussion revolves around the origins and concerns surrounding the Tren de Aragua gang, which has recently infiltrated the United States through the southern border. Unlike other well-known gangs such as MS-13, the Tren de Aragua gang is not widely recognized, but it has thousands of members in Venezuela and has now been designated as a transnational criminal organization. The gang took over a prison in Venezuela and created an empire, raising questions about their financial backers and alliances in both countries. The gang, originally from the Aragua region of Venezuela, has a history of violent crimes, including gun smuggling and using food delivery services to sneak arms into migrant shelters. Their tactics and reputation for raising fear and establishing power through disturbing acts, such as public hangings, have yet to be fully understood in the context of the United States.
• 00:40:00  The conversation turns to the issue of illegal guns being brought into migrant shelters and the use of explosive drones by cartels near the southern border of the United States. The speakers explain that food delivery bags are not being checked thoroughly at migrant shelters, allowing people without work authorization to bring in arms and create “hot beds” of migrant communities where recruiting and gun hubs exist. This is particularly alarming as some of these individuals are armed illegally and have given their members the green light to shoot cops, which the speakers describe as terrorism. The cartels are also using explosive drones near the border, and while it’s unclear if they would intentionally use them to cause havoc in the US, the mere capability is intimidating for border agents. The speakers believe the influence of the war in Russia and Ukraine may be driving the cartels to adopt these new tactics, making the situation increasingly concerning.
• 00:45:00  The discussion turns to the potential threat posed by the gang to the United States and the impact of this threat on border patrol agents. The Tren de Aragua Gang, which is active in northern Mexico near the border, has been a topic of concern due to their tactics and the possibility of being designated as a terrorist organization. The speakers also touch upon the morale of border patrol agents, who have faced numerous challenges in recent years, including the loss of purpose and a significant decrease in personnel. The agents have been told to process and release people, a far cry from their original mission to secure the nation’s borders and keep families safe. The situation is particularly concerning as the agency struggles to retain law enforcement personnel and recruit new agents to fill the gaps. The speakers express their support for the border patrol agents and encourage listeners to believe in their important role in protecting the nation.