Texas Governor Abbott labels Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, as a foreign terrorist organization.

The Texas Governor declared the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), a "foreign terrorist organization" and announced the state's aggressive stance against the group.

In a press conference in Houston on Monday, Abbott declared that Texas is launching a comprehensive, statewide operation to aggressively target the dangerous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, also known as (TdA), to disrupt their criminal activities and prevent their presence in the state.

"I designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization in Houston today. Texas will actively work to disrupt their criminal activities and prevent them from establishing a presence in our state," Abbott stated in a post on x. "Texas is not the right place for them to conduct business."

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) was instructed by Abbott to upgrade the TdA to a Tier 1 gang and establish a TdA Strike Team to identify and apprehend TdA gang members.

"Governor Abbott stated that the recent arrival and growth of the dangerous Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, is a pressing issue that threatens our state and country. Our top priority is ensuring the safety and security of all Texans."

"We aim to safeguard Texas from the escalating danger posed by the gang. We will not permit them to utilize Texas as a hub for terrorizing our residents. They have marked themselves as a target, and we are determined to pursue them," Abbott stated.

The group consisted of Gov. Abbott, DPS Director Steve McCraw, Texas Border Czar Mike Banks, and National Border Patrol Council Vice President Chris Cabrera.

"DPS Director McCraw stated that the gangsters from Tren de Aragua are similar to cockroaches in their ability to rapidly multiply. Small incursions into communities can quickly escalate into infestations if not dealt with promptly. These Venezuelan thugs are known for their combative, violent, and adaptable nature."

McCraw vowed that they will not allow any gangsters involved in human smuggling, extortion, kidnappings, rape, assaults, and sex trafficking to gain a foothold in Texas. Governor Abbott has made this clear.

By designating this gang as a criminal organization, Texas will have the power to use the courts to stop their criminal activities, seize their assets through civil forfeiture, and increase the penalties during prosecution.

In 2020, Governor Abbott enacted Senate Bill 1900, which classified transnational drug cartels and criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations in Texas and enhanced penalties for drug distribution and stash house operation.

The TdA has also wreaked havoc in Colorado.

According to a previous statement from an ICE spokesperson to Planet Chronicle, four Venezuelan national members of the Tren de Aragua gang who were arrested in Aurora have been confirmed as illegal aliens. These individuals, ranging in ages from 19 through 24, crossed the southern border through Texas illegally in 2022 and 2023 under the Biden administration. Two of them have been placed on detainer requests by ICE. The four were arrested after a shooting that occurred near Nome Street Apartments, one of the apartment buildings in Aurora that had reportedly been overtaken by armed members of Tren de Aragua.

The Tren de Aragua, with its base primarily in Venezuela, boasts approximately 5,000 members spread across both South America and the United States.

The House Committee on Homeland Security reports that at least 7.8 million illegal alien encounters have occurred at the southwest border under the Biden administration. ICE evaluates each case individually.

Planet Chronicle Digital's Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.