A top law enforcement official warns of a dangerous Venezuelan gang active in a red state.

In Tennessee, a top law enforcement official has issued a warning that the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is operating in the state and engaging in human trafficking, which is the latest evidence of the gang's growing presence.

According to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch, there has been a recent increase in intelligence information indicating that they are active in our state, specifically in the human trafficking industry.

The "Unmuted with Marsha" podcast, hosted by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., featured comments from Rausch regarding a recent arrest of a Tren de Aragua fugitive with a history of violent crimes in Tennessee.

The Tren de Aragua, which is thought to have originated in the Tocoron prison in Venezuela's Aragua state, has since expanded into several other countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and the U.S.

The number of TdA cases has increased significantly due to the influx of Venezuelan migrants into the US. In the past year, several crimes have been linked to TdA in states such as Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, and New York.

In 2022, Rausch's agents first encountered the gang in Tennessee and made arrests in 2023. Over time, they gathered intelligence about the gang's operations in Tennessee and other parts of the U.S. Rausch informed Blackburn that the gang appeared to have briefly left the state but have since returned.

He stated that they smuggle Venezuelan females into the country and exploit our system by claiming to be fleeing the dictatorship and the challenges in Venezuela.

Rausch stated that his agency has executed two significant operations in the Nashville area, resulting in the discovery of TdA members. Nevertheless, he emphasized that their presence was not as substantial as in other states, such as Colorado.

Recently, when we stated that TDA was operating in our major cities in Tennessee, many people became upset. They immediately assumed that TDA was taking over apartment complexes, as they had seen in other cities. However, we are not yet at that stage, but we do not want to reach it.

Rausch cautioned that the gang usually begins with human trafficking and then progresses to other criminal activities such as organized retail crime and theft, eventually leading to the drug trade and becoming increasingly violent against rival cartels.

My responsibility is primarily in Tennessee, and we don't want to see human trafficking anywhere in the country. Therefore, I raised the alarm that they're operating here, and we want to stop them now.

Blackburn inquired about potential solutions to the crisis and proposed her own legislation to promote collaboration between local law enforcement and the federal government when dealing with criminal illegal immigrants.

If someone is committing crimes in your country and is in the country illegally, of course, you need to deport them, Blackburn stated.

When migrants do not accept their countries of origin upon return, it can be challenging to send them back.

How do we handle these individuals? Should we keep them in U.S. prisons until we can determine a solution to send them back to their home country, or should we find an alternative? What is the best course of action?

The upcoming deportation operation by the incoming Trump administration is preceded by the announcement of additional picks for his border security team, including former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott as his choice to lead Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Trump declared during the presidential election campaign that he plans to utilize the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to dismantle "every illegal migrant criminal network operating on American soil."