The Department of Justice (DOJ) delivered a powerful blow against Venezuelan criminal gangs operating in America, charging a high-ranking Tren de Aragua leader with terrorism offenses.
This landmark case marks the first use of terrorism statutes against the notorious gang, which flourished during the border crisis.
It also demonstrates President Trump’s commitment to eradicating foreign criminal elements threatening American communities.
This week, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced terrorism charges against Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, known as “Chuqui,” a leader in the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).
The charges include conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, international drug distribution conspiracy, and two counts of international drug distribution.
This prosecutorial action follows President Trump’s February declaration of TdA as a terrorist organization under an 18th-century wartime statute.
Flores, currently detained in Colombia awaiting extradition to the United States, faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine if convicted.
According to the DOJ, Flores is part of TdA’s “inner circle” and oversees its international cocaine distribution network, which funnels drug proceeds to support the gang’s criminal operations.
Attorney General Bondi did not mince words when describing the threat posed by TdA:
“This is not just a street gang – TdA is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration. Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.”
The move against TdA is part of the broader Operation Take Back America, the Trump administration’s comprehensive effort to combat illegal immigration and dismantle transnational criminal organizations that exploited America’s previously porous borders.
Under President Trump’s leadership, the administration has already deported over 200 TdA members using the Alien Enemies Act, demonstrating a zero-tolerance approach to foreign criminals threatening American security.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the existential threat posed by these foreign gangs, stating, “TdA is a direct threat to our national security, to our communities, and to Americans.”
Patel also praised Bondi’s leadership, noting that “these charges are a major step in breaking the operations of violent terrorist gangs and rooting them out of American communities.”
Moreover, the investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI, DEA, and other American law enforcement agencies, with crucial assistance from Colombian authorities who captured Flores in March.
This international cooperation highlights the global reach required to combat sophisticated criminal networks operating across national borders.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas delivered a scathing assessment of the previous administration’s border policies:
“For the past few years, foreign gangs like TdA have more or less been able to enter the country with impunity, coming here to distribute deadly drugs and terrorize American citizens.”
At the same time, the DOJ’s innovative use of terrorism statutes against TdA signals a dramatic shift in how the federal government will confront transnational criminal organizations.
By classifying TdA as a terrorist organization, prosecutors gain access to powerful legal tools previously reserved for combating groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
This approach reflects the Trump administration’s determination to use every available legal mechanism to protect American citizens from violent foreign criminals who exploited weak immigration policies.
