The FBI has assessed that some officials within the Venezuelan government are likely facilitating the migration of members of the Tren de Aragua gang into the United States as part of a strategy to undermine public safety and advance the interests of the Maduro regime.
This assessment was shared exclusively with Fox News Digital by a senior administration official, highlighting concerns over the relationship between Tren de Aragua and Venezuelan authorities.
According to the FBI’s classified intelligence assessment, the Venezuelan leadership, under President Nicolás Maduro, is believed to be leveraging gang members as proxies to destabilize countries throughout South America, including Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, as well as the United States.
This alleged activity illustrates Maduro’s willingness to disregard the sovereignty of neighboring nations to further his regime’s goals.
In the coming months, specifically within a six to 18-month timeframe, the FBI anticipates that Venezuelan officials will seek to use Tren de Aragua members in the U.S. to threaten, abduct, or even kill Venezuelan expatriates who openly criticize the Maduro government.
An expansion of these malicious activities is also expected throughout South America, raising alarms among law enforcement.
A senior administration official stated, “These findings should shock Americans but not the law enforcement community. They reflect sentiments from multiple intelligence assessments across various agencies.”
The official emphasized the deteriorating situation in Venezuela, attributing it to Maduro’s Marxist dictatorship and the resultant economic collapse which has given rise to violent criminal gangs.
Maduro is set to remain in power until 2031, prompting concerns among U.S. lawmakers and officials about his potential actions against both domestic and international interests.
Former President Donald Trump had previously designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization upon taking office, illustrating the serious implications of the gang’s activities in the U.S.
With a firm stance, the Trump administration has vowed to use all available authorities to ensure that members of the Tren de Aragua, labeled as some of the world’s most dangerous criminals, do not enter the country.
The commitment to national safety aligns with the desires of the American populace, as indicated by a senior official, who noted the overwhelming support for measures to enhance security.
In communication with Fox News Digital, an official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence provided unclassified elements of the assessment regarding the connections between Tren de Aragua and the Venezuelan government.
The official stated that intelligence gathered reveals the gang’s leadership has historically benefited from the conditions in Venezuela that were fostered by the government.
This includes the Maduro regime offering sanctuary to Tren de Aragua, which has allowed the gang to conduct its criminal activities both in Venezuela and abroad.
The behavior of the Maduro regime towards these violent actors is reminiscent of the actions of groups that have welcomed terrorist factions across different regions, including the failed states of the Middle East.
Despite the assertions from the administration, a classified assessment reported by the Associated Press contradicts the FBI findings, suggesting a lack of coordination between the Venezuelan government and Tren de Aragua.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard vehemently criticized the report, claiming it was weaponized against Trump.
Gabbard accused unnamed officials of leaking this classified intelligence to undermine the President’s agenda, emphasizing a dire need for accountability for such actions.
The ODNI source underscored that the unclassified information shared with Fox News Digital is based on solid intelligence that contradicts the narrative promoted by those leaking classified documents.
In tandem with these reports, the Trump administration has initiated its first racketeering charges against members of Tren de Aragua in New York, part of a broader campaign called Operation Take Back America.
This operation aims to marshal the resources of the Justice Department to confront illegal immigration and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
Charges against 27 alleged Tren de Aragua members include serious offenses such as human smuggling, sex trafficking, and murder.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, 21 of the accused gang members are already in federal custody, while the remaining individuals were either in state or federal custody prior to the recent arrests.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced these indictments, emphasizing the impact of the arrests on dismantling the organizational structure of Tren de Aragua.
Bondi characterized Tren de Aragua as a highly organized terrorist group that has brought violence into American communities through drug trafficking and other criminal activities, harming families across the nation.
With increasing incidents related to organized crime involving this gang, the U.S. government’s response remains vigilant, vowing to protect communities from the threats posed by such organizations.
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