Federal agents arrested a Venezuelan illegal alien who flaunted his stash of grenades on social media and is believed to be a leader of the vicious Tren de Aragua.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Yonaiker Gallegos, who posed with an AR-15 and several grenades online, in Los Angeles County on Friday.
“On Tuesday evening April 22, 2025, HSI was able to locate Gallegos who was utilizing the false name Yoniaker Rafel MARTINEZ-RAMOS, who was in state custody in Los Angeles County on misdemeanor charges,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1917040814745915616">statement</a> to Fox News.
The HSI National Gang Unit was able to identify the suspected Tren de Aragua leader as Yonaiker Gallegos after cross-referencing booking photos and social media images, using facial comparison tools to confirm his true identity. HSI successfully took Gallegos into custody for violations of Title 8, an immigration policy.
The arrest marks the latest crackdown by the Trump administration on the violent Venezuelan gang. The criminal enterprise was one of eight cartel and gang organizations <a href="https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designations-of-international-cartels/">designated</a> as a foreign terrorist organization by Trump’s State Department.
A multi-agency raid over the weekend resulted in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multi-agency-raid-hits-tren-de-aragua-hotspot-officials-take-more-than-100-into-custody?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Multi-Agency+Raid+Hits+Tren+De+Aragua+Hotspot%3A+Officials+Take+More+Than+100+Into+Custody">capture</a> of over 100 illegal aliens at an underground nightclub in Colorado that authorities say was being used by Tren de Aragua members. The raid, which was carried out by agents from the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and even the United States Postal Service and IRS, also resulted in the seizure of drugs and weapons.
Trump’s Department of Justice recently charged 27 current and former suspected Tren de Aragua members under the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), leveraging a law best known for its use against the mafia against cartels. The charges, Attorney General Pam Bondi said, spanned three different states and “will devastate TdA’s infrastructure.”
The administration also employed the Alien Enemies Act to expedite the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leave-now-trump-admin-vows-to-keep-deporting-suspected-gang-members-after-scotus-win?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘LEAVE+NOW’%3A+Trump+Admin+Vows+To+Keep+Deporting+Suspected+Gang+Members+After+SCOTUS+Win">deportation </a> of Tren de Aragua members to El Salvador&#8217;s Terrorism Confinement Center. Now the administration is locked in an ongoing l<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/26/texas-judge-venezuela-deportation-tren-de-aragua/83298669007/">egal battle</a> with federal judges over its use of the law to remove the criminal aliens.

HSI Arrest

Feds Say They’ve Captured Tren De Aragua Leader Who Flaunted Grenades On Social Media

Crime

Illegal Immigration

Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Tren De Aragua

U.S.

The Drug Enforcement Agency&#8217;s (DEA) Rocky Mountain Division led a multi-agency raid early Sunday morning, swarming a nightclub that was being used as a base for Tren de Aragua gang members, and coming out with over 100 illegal immigrants in custody.
The DEA shared video from the raid, which included assistance from the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department, during which they also recovered weapons and drugs.
&#8220;#DEA Rocky Mountain led a multi-agency enforcement operation along with our local and federal partners early this morning. @DHSGov has taken more than 100 illegal aliens into custody. Drugs and weapons have also been seized at this underground nightclub in Colorado Springs,&#8221; the caption read.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DEA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DEA</a> Rocky Mountain led a multi-agency enforcement operation along with our local and federal partners early this morning.<a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DHSgov</a> has taken more than 100 illegal aliens into custody. Drugs and weapons have also been seized at this underground nightclub in Colorado Springs. <a href="https://t.co/R4Smb3voAg">pic.twitter.com/R4Smb3voAg</a>
&mdash; DEARockyMountain (@DEAROCKYMTNDiv) <a href="https://twitter.com/DEAROCKYMTNDiv/status/1916459097404080541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff and adviser to President Donald Trump, added, &#8220;Early this morning, DOJ and DHS launched a joint raid of an illegal alien underground nightclub used by TDA in Colorado. More to come &#8230;&#8221;
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Early this morning, DOJ and DHS launched a joint raid of an illegal alien underground nightclub used by TDA in Colorado. More to come… <a href="https://t.co/70UPGUSjCe">https://t.co/70UPGUSjCe</a>
&mdash; Stephen Miller (@StephenM) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/1916492155905835434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In the hours since, additional reports have filled in some key details about who was involved in the raid — and who was apprehended.
Attorney General Pam Bondi explained, &#8220;This morning @DEAHQ apprehended over 100 illegal aliens at an underground night club frequented by Tda and MS-13 terrorists. Cocaine, meth, and pink cocaine was seized. 2 people were also arrested on existing warrants. As we approach his 100 days in office @POTUS Trump’s directive to make America safe again is achieving results!&#8221;
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This morning <a href="https://twitter.com/DEAHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DEAHQ</a> apprehended over 100 illegal aliens at an underground night club frequented by Tda and MS-13 terrorists. Cocaine, meth, and pink cocaine was seized. 2 people were also arrested on existing warrants.
As we approach his 100 days in office <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> Trump’s… <a href="https://t.co/DvYUNrmzvd">pic.twitter.com/DvYUNrmzvd</a>
&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1916515090418839624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin added, &#8220;Spotted in this video helping make arrests of illegal aliens at this Colorado underground nightclub. US Postal Service police IRS Criminal Investigations Along with ICE, DEA, &amp; FBI. Trump admin taking a whole of federal gov approach to bring in every agency for deportations.&#8221;
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Spotted in this video helping make arrests of illegal aliens at this Colorado underground nightclub.
US Postal Service police IRS Criminal Investigations
Along with ICE, DEA, &amp; FBI.
Trump admin taking a whole of federal gov approach to bring in every agency for deportations. <a href="https://t.co/OO6NMpqLfg">https://t.co/OO6NMpqLfg</a>
&mdash; Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1916536549308563951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The party is OVER. Law and order has returned. Under the leadership of @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem, we are taking a whole of government approach to removing criminal illegal aliens from American communities,&#8221; the official DHS account posted.
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The party is OVER. Law and order has returned. 
Under the leadership of <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> Trump and <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>, we are taking a whole of government approach to removing criminal illegal aliens from American communities. <a href="https://t.co/lUoGCxYdZg">https://t.co/lUoGCxYdZg</a>
&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1916578183303901457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The news of the Colorado Springs raid comes just days after a four-day multi-agency operation in Florida — referred to as Operation Tidal Wave — netted the captures of some 800 illegal aliens.
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In a first-of-its-kind partnership between state and federal partners, ICE Miami and Florida law enforcement arrested nearly 800 illegal aliens this week during the first four days of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OperationTidalWave?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OperationTidalWave</a> — a massive, multi-agency, immigration enforcement crackdown.
💡Learn how… <a href="https://t.co/LbH3j4OJU9">pic.twitter.com/LbH3j4OJU9</a>
&mdash; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/1916149859217719528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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US-POLITICS-GANG-MS-13

Multi-Agency Raid Hits Tren De Aragua Hotspot: Officials Take More Than 100 Into Custody

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Justice

Drug Enforcement Agency

Federal agents arrested a former New Mexico Democrat judge and his wife on Thursday after they were accused of harboring a suspected member of Tren de Aragua at their home. 
Former Dona Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano and his wife, Nancy, were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at their home in Las Cruces, KFOX14 <a href="https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/home-of-ex-judge-raided-after-claims-of-hosting-tren-de-aragua-gang-member-in-las-cruces-cristhian-ortega-lopez-dona-ana-county-venezuela-joel-cano-nancy-tda-nm-hsi-homeland-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Both the 67-year-old former judge and his wife are <a href="https://apps.donaanacounty.org/www/sites/all/modules/dac/dac_inmates/dac_create_pdf.php?&amp;GCode=4&amp;FelonID=2500003171&amp;FelonPIC=387831&amp;CurrentFlag=0">charged</a> with tampering with evidence. 
The couple is currently in custody at the Dona Ana County Jail, awaiting their appearance in federal court. They were arrested as part of a probe by Homeland Security Investigations into their association with 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, who authorities say is linked to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration. Ortega-Lopez was arrested at the Canos&#8217; home in February. 
“Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens—including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://x.com/Sec_Noem/status/1915559976229052564">said</a>, commenting on the arrest. “If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you and lock you up. That’s a promise.”
Cano resigned from his judgeship earlier this week and was banned by the New Mexico Supreme Court from holding any judicial office again. The court <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-mexico-supreme-court-bans-judge-after-alleged-tda-member-arrested-home">ordered</a> that Cano “shall never again hold, become a candidate for, run for, or stand for election to any New Mexico judicial office in the future.”
Ortega-Lopez, originally from Venezuela, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-judge-resigns-after-harboring-alleged-tren-de-aragua-gang-member" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was accused</a> of illegal entry to the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas. He spent three days in Border Patrol custody before he was released because of overcrowded facilities at the Border Patrol’s South Laredo, Texas, processing center, according to court records, the Albuquerque Journal <a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_47926b51-d481-4aa9-8d76-5de8cc13809b.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJwuu9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn4jO0OhVrwODcJdaJgEwwkzhtKl5MdUs320h3z25_0FkfgnT9xnpoaAox6a_aem_F7zjdLNkrsY9LSG6RfZRmA">reported</a>. He met Nancy in El Paso, where he was working as a construction worker and handyman, and she offered for him to stay in a small house behind their home.
Ortega-Lopez has been charged with being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and is seen in court documents holding guns.
Cano has denied any knowledge of the suspected ties between Ortega-Lopez and Tren De Aragua. Investigators have said that they have text messages and voice mail messages that confirm the links to the notorious gang.
“Let me be as crystal clear as possible,” Cano <a href="https://www.koat.com/article/las-cruces-former-judge-allegations-gang-new-mexico/64583129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New Mexico Supreme Court. “The very first time I ever heard that the boys could possibly have any association with Tren de Aragua was when I was informed of that by [the] agents on the day of the raid.”

MixCollage-25-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-6237

Former Judge And Wife Arrested, Accused Of Housing Suspected Venezuelan Gang Member

Courts

Illegal Immigation

Kristi Noem

New Mexico

Venezuela

According to the FBI, some Venezuelan government officials, in order to erode public safety in the United States, “likely facilitate” the migration of Tren de Aragua gang members to the United States.
Tren de Aragua has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration.
The Venezuelan move to destabilize other countries also includes Chile, Ecuador, and Peru, Fox News Digital <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/venezuelan-government-uses-tren-de-aragua-proxies-undermine-us-public-safety-fbi-assessment-finds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, adding, “The FBI assesses that in the next six to 18 months, Venezuelan government officials likely will attempt to leverage Tren de Aragua members in the United States as proxy actors to threaten, abduct and kill members of the Venezuelan diaspora in the United States who are vocal critics of [Venezuala President Nicolás] Maduro and his regime.”
“These findings should shock Americans but not the law enforcement community,” an unnamed Trump administration official told Fox Digital. “They reflect the sentiments of numerous other intelligence assessments across multiple agencies. Nicholas Maduro is a Marxist dictator who hijacked a once-prosperous Venezuela and brought in nothing but total economic collapse and gang takeover. He crumbled Caracas, now overrun with drugs and violence, and wants to do the same across the United States by sending his most violent and dangerous criminals into our communities.&#8221;
“The Trump administration will continue to use every authority in our power to make sure these TdA terrorists, who are some of the worst in the world, are kept out of our country,&#8221; the official continued. “The American people voted overwhelmingly to make America safe again, and that is exactly what we will do.&#8221;
On April 18, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-alien-enemies-act-venezuela-tren-de-aragua-103919f71db9a9e7a9a3de1028585483" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, “A new U.S. intelligence assessment found no coordination between Tren de Aragua and the Venezuelan government, contradicting statements that Trump administration officials have made to justify their invocation of the Alien Enemies Act and deporting Venezuelan migrants, according to U.S. officials. The classified assessment from the National Intelligence Council, released this month, is more comprehensive and authoritative than an earlier intelligence product released Feb. 26 and reported last month by The New York Times.”
Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard reacted harshly, writing on X:
<blockquote>
The weaponization of intelligence to undermine the President’s agenda is an assault on democracy. Those behind this illegal leak of classified intelligence, twisted and manipulated to convey the exact opposite finding, will be held accountable under the full force of the law. Rooting out this politicization of intelligence is exactly what President Trump campaigned on and what Americans overwhelmingly voted for. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence fully supports the assessment that the foreign terrorist organization, Tren De Aragua, is acting with the support of the Maduro Regime, and thus subject to arrest, detention and removal as alien enemies of the United States.
</blockquote>
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The weaponization of intelligence to undermine the President’s agenda is an assault on democracy. Those behind this illegal leak of classified intelligence, twisted and manipulated to convey the exact opposite finding, will be held accountable under the full force of the law.…
&mdash; DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) <a href="https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard/status/1914449185618767911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
An official from the office of DNI said the information Fox News Digital was reporting was “based on intelligence that the illegal leakers and propaganda media conveniently did not include because it gets in the way of their biased narrative and attempt to deceive the American people.”

27 alleged gang members indicted in New York City

FBI: Maduro’s Venezuelan Govt Helping Tren De Aragua Terrorist Group Migrate To U.S.

Nicolas Maduro

Politics

Terrorism

Terrorists

The Department of Justice (DOJ) unleashed unprecedented criminal charges against members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, invoking a law that is best known for its use against the mafia in the fight against the foreign terror organization.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that it charged a total of 27 current and former Tren de Aragua members under the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for the first time ever, marking a new development in how the federal government prosecutes the cartels.
The indictment, Bondi says, will decimate the criminal network’s infrastructure.
“As alleged, Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that has destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” Bondi charged. “Today’s indictments and arrests span three states and will devastate TdA’s infrastructure as we work to completely dismantle and purge this organization from our country.”
The indictment targets both current and former members of Tren de Aragua, charging them with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, robbery, and firearms offenses. Of the 27 individuals charged by the DOJ, 19 of them are alleged to be members of a Tren de Aragua splinter group referred to as “Anti-Tren.”
The unsealed indictment outlines a number of specific charges against the alleged current and former Tren de Aragua members, accusing them of sex trafficking, drug trafficking, carjacking, and a litany of firearms charges.
The DOJ also explained that the foreign terror organization has been particularly active in New York City, specifically in the Bronx and Queens.
“Tren de Aragua is one of the most dangerous gangs in the country, and the NYPD has taken significant action to shut down their operations in New York City,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch remarked. “For the first time ever, TdA is being named and charged as the criminal enterprise that it is. This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering, and this gang has shown zero regard for the safety of New Yorkers.”

TdA Arrest

DOJ Unleashes Unprecedented Charges Against Tren De Aragua Members

A New Mexico Democrat judge harbored an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member in his home, where the illegal immigrant was arrested on February 28.
Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano announced his resignation on March 3, the same day that Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, who has alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang in Venezuela, appeared before a judge on charges of being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Ortega-Lopez was accused of illegal entry to the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas. He spent three days in Border Patrol custody before he was released because of overcrowded facilities at the Border Patrol’s South Laredo, Texas, processing center, according to court records, the Albuquerque Journal <a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_47926b51-d481-4aa9-8d76-5de8cc13809b.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJwuu9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn4jO0OhVrwODcJdaJgEwwkzhtKl5MdUs320h3z25_0FkfgnT9xnpoaAox6a_aem_F7zjdLNkrsY9LSG6RfZRmA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. He met Cano’s wife, Nancy, in El Paso, where he was working as a construction worker and handyman, and she offered for him to stay in a small house behind hers.
According to prosecutors, April Cano, the Canos’<a href="https://www.pressreader.com/usa/albuquerque-journal/20250417/281522231932677?srsltid=AfmBOooT2iGj93oUOckJ2M9c6weVtAg4OcioOSXXxxDm_TU6-C4o24EM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> daughter</a> who owned a home near her parents, “possessed a large number of firearms” and “allowed him to hold and sometimes shoot various firearms.”
“Cano, a former police officer, allowed Ortega-Lopez to file a request for immigration relief using the judge’s residential address. Court exhibits also posted social media posts of the foreign national posing with the judge,” Breitbart <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/border/2025/04/20/new-mexico-democrat-judge-resigns-after-ice-arrests-alleged-tren-de-aragua-gang-member-in-his-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, adding, “Social media posts obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico showed Ortega-Lopez and other illegal aliens at a shooting range. They appeared to be in possession of multiple firearms and a large quantity of handgun and rifle ammunition. &#8230; The photos and videos showed Ortega-Lopez displaying Tren de Aragua gang tattoos.”
“Other images from Ortega-Lopez’s cell phone obtained by Breitbart showed graphic images of multiple decapitated and mutilated bodies,” Breitbart noted.
Last month, President Donald Trump issued a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/invocation-of-the-alien-enemies-act-regarding-the-invasion-of-the-united-states-by-tren-de-aragua/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proclamation</a> regarding Tren de Aragua in which he stated:
<blockquote>
Tren de Aragua (TdA) is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization with thousands of members, many of whom have unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States. TdA operates in conjunction with Cártel de los Soles, the Nicolas Maduro regime-sponsored, narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela, and commits brutal crimes, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking. TdA has engaged in and continues to engage in mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens, undermining public safety, and supporting the Maduro regime’s goal of destabilizing democratic nations in the Americas, including the United States.
</blockquote>

Judge’s gavel

Dem Judge Resigns After Harboring Alleged Tren De Aragua Gang Member

Judge

The United States Supreme Court early Saturday morning blocked President Donald Trump from deporting illegal Venezuelan immigrants who are suspected of being in the brutal gang Tren de Aragua.
Trump promised during his campaign to deport criminal illegal aliens, and has invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to help fulfill that promise. The high court, though, sided with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), arguing that the administration did not give the suspected gang members proper notice.
&#8220;Without this Court&#8217;s intervention, dozens or hundreds of proposed class members may be removed to a possible life sentence in El Salvador with no real opportunity to contest their designation or removal,&#8221; the suit from the ACLU said.
&#8220;The Government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this Court,&#8221; the court wrote.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito were the only two judges to dissent from the majority opinion.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd3rdjn81lo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that Trump could use the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members, but said potential deportees must be given a chance to challenge such removal.
The ACLU claims the illegals, who are being detained in Texas, were given notices about their deportation in English, despite one detainee only speaking Spanish, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd3rdjn81lo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a BBC report. The challenge also said the suspected gang members hadn&#8217;t been told about their right to contest the decision in court.
The Trump administration says it has already deported 137 suspected Tren de Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act.
The Supreme Court ruled on April 7 that Trump could use the act for such deportations, if he gives proper notice. The case landed at 5-4, with all but Justice Amy Coney Barrett from the court’s conservative wing ruling in the majority. Barrett partially dissented from the majority. The court’s three liberal justices dissented together, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-venezuelan-deportations.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>.
The order reversed a lower court ruling from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg. Boasberg temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing the <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title50/chapter3&amp;edition=prelim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alien Enemies Act</a> in a case involving five Venezuelan nationals, as well as on anyone else who may be affected.
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-leaders-deny-taxpayer-money-for-dems-to-make-el-salvador-prison-trip?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=GOP+Leaders+Deny+Taxpayer+Money+For+Dems+To+Make+El+Salvador+Prison+Trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GOP Leaders Deny Taxpayer Money For Dems To Make El Salvador Prison Trip</a>

US deports 17 gang-linked criminals in joint operation with El Salvador

SCOTUS Blocks Trump From Deporting Alleged Tren De Aragua Gang Members 

Supreme Court Blocks Trump From Deporting Alleged Tren De Aragua Gang Members 

Deportations

Supreme Court

Trump Administration

Top Trump administration officials promised Monday to continue deporting suspected gang members after the Supreme Court ruled against a federal judge blocking the deportations from taking place under the Alien Enemies Act. 
 In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned a block on carrying out the deportations imposed on the Trump administration by D.C. District Court Judge James Boasberg. After the ruling, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that the Trump administration has designated as a terrorist organization, should leave the country now or face deportation.
“Following tonight’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, the American people can rest assured that [Noem], [Border czar Tom Homan] and I will direct our assets to scour the country for any remnants of Tren De Aragua and DEPORT THEM,” Bondi posted on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Following tonight’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, the American people can rest assured that <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/RealTomHoman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealTomHoman</a> and I will direct our assets to scour the country for any remnants of Tren De Aragua and DEPORT THEM.
&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1909389172680335671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Those comments were echoed by Noem, who has toured the El Salvadorian prison where the administration sent around 250 suspected members of MS-13 and Tren de Aragua last month. 
“President Trump was proven RIGHT once again! SCOTUS confirms our Commander-in-Chief Donald J. Trump has the power to stop the invasion of our country by terrorists using war time powers. LEAVE NOW or we will arrest you, lock you up and deport you,” Noem said. 
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President Trump was proven RIGHT once again! SCOTUS confirms our Commander-in-Chief Donald J. Trump has the power to stop the invasion of our country by terrorists using war time powers. LEAVE NOW or we will arrest you, lock you up and deport you. <a href="https://t.co/irLTSEo0GF">pic.twitter.com/irLTSEo0GF</a>
&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1909384333263298865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In its <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a931_2c83.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruling</a>, the Supreme Court said that while potential deportees must get due process, the cases should not be litigated in the District of Columbia but in Texas, where the suspected gang members were in custody. 
“The detainees seek equitable relief against the implementation of the Proclamation and against their removal under the AEA. They challenge the Government’s interpretation of the Act and assert that they do not fall within the category of removable alien enemies. But we do not reach those arguments,” the majority wrote. “The detainees are confined in Texas, so venue is improper in the District of Columbia.”
Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the court’s three liberal justices dissented. 
President Donald Trump celebrated the decision, saying it would allow him to protect the border. 
“The Supreme Court has upheld the Rule of Law in our Nation by allowing a President, whoever that may be, to be able to secure our Borders, and protect our families and our Country, itself,” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114299368234840539" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social. “A GREAT DAY FOR JUSTICE IN AMERICA!”

US deports over 250 alleged gang members to El Salvador’s mega-prison

‘LEAVE NOW’: Trump Admin Vows To Keep Deporting Suspected Gang Members After SCOTUS Win

Donald Trump

El Salvador

Pam Bondi

SCOTUS

CNN anchor Abby Phillip appeared frustrated with Republican commentator Scott Jennings when he argued that illegal alien gang members should not be afforded the same rights that American citizens enjoy.
Jennings made the point during a Monday evening appearance on Phillips&#8217; show, &#8220;CNN NewsNight,&#8221; explaining that he put U.S. citizens and illegal aliens &#8220;in a different category&#8221; — and argued that simply walking across the southern border illegally should not automatically confer the rights of citizens on everyone who does so.
WATCH;
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🚨CNN&#39;s Abby Phillip treats Scott Jennings like a TODDLER while he calmly explains his common-sense position:
JENNINGS: &quot;If you&#39;re a U.S. citizen, I put you in a different category.&quot;
PHILLIP: &quot;On due process, that&#39;s not a distinction that the law makes, Scott!&quot;
JENNINGS: &quot;If… <a href="https://t.co/J4bfTvc8MK">pic.twitter.com/J4bfTvc8MK</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1907068081429463149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Phillip suggested that the United States deporting criminal gang members — many of whom had committed violent crimes in addition to crossing the border illegally — was no different than countries like Russia detaining American citizens without trial.
&#8220;Isn&#8217;t this exactly what we denounce other countries for doing? Not giving our own citizens, when they get wrongfully detained around the world, our own citizens, the due process that they deserve?&#8221; Phillip asked.
&#8220;Well, I think that multiple things could be true,&#8221; Jennings replied. &#8220;Number one, I delineate between American citizens and everyone else. If you&#8217;re a U.S. citizen, I put you in a different category.&#8221;
&#8220;On due process, that&#8217;s not a distinction that the law makes,&#8221; Phillip objected.
&#8220;If you come here — if you&#8217;ve come here and broken our laws,&#8221; Jennings continued as Phillip repeatedly attempted to interrupt, &#8220;And committed violent acts or murdered and raped, whatever, I put you in a different category.&#8221;
&#8220;On due process, that is not a distinction,&#8221; Phillip insisted again.
&#8220;If you&#8217;d like to argue that Tren de Aragua should have the same rights that you get as an American citizen, go ahead! You&#8217;re saying that a terrorist can walk across the border and become effectively a U.S. citizen?&#8221; Jennings said.
&#8220;Scott?! Hello?! Hold on! Scott. Look at me,&#8221; Phillip tried again. &#8220;Okay? You and I are talking. I&#8217;m talking to you. What I&#8217;m saying is that the law does not make a distinction between U.S. citizens and everybody else when it comes to being accused of crimes. Are you saying that should not be in place?&#8221;
&#8220;These people are effectively terrorists. They walked across our borders illegally. They are violent, and I don&#8217;t really want them here,&#8221; Jennings said, agreeing that the government would have to account for who they had detained and deported at some point. &#8220;There is no doubt that the Trump administration is rounding up, effectively, terrorists who came across here illegally, committed horrific acts and do not need to be in this country.&#8221;
&#8220;They are doing that, perhaps, but they&#8217;re also doing a lot of other things, too,&#8221; Phillip responded.

‘Hello? Hold On!’: CNN Anchor Balks When Republican Says Gang Members Don’t Get Citizens’ Rights

‘Hello? Hold On!’: CNN Anchor Balks When Republican Says Gang Members Don't Get Citizen's Rights

Media

Scott Jennings

A federal judge in San Francisco moved to postpone the Trump administration from ending a Biden-era program that shielded hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants from deportation. 
U.S. Senior District Judge Edward Chen ordered the Department of Homeland Security to postpone revoking temporary protected status (TPS) for 348,202 Venezuelans living in the United States who were given work authorization and shielded from deportation by the Biden administration in October 2023. Chen said the revocation would cause &#8220;irreparable harm” and hurt the economy. 
The decision comes after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/noem-ends-biden-program-shielding-thousands-of-venezuelans-from-deportation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that she was revoking the TPS status, saying that conditions had improved in Venezuela and that it was not in America’s best interest to maintain the program. In response, a group called the National TPS Alliance sued to block Noem’s decision. 
Chen sided with the National TPS Alliance in his order and said that Noem’s decision was not backed by evidence, including allegations of gang affiliations. Noem had said there was an increased presence of Venezuelan gang members connected to Tren de Aragua.
Chen said that this argument was “baseless and smacks of racism predicated on generalized false stereotypes.”
“The Secretary’s rationale is entirely lacking in evidentiary support,” Chen said in his ruling. “For example, there is no evidence that Venezuelan TPS holders are members of the TdA gang, have connections to the gang, and/or commit crimes.”
The Obama-appointed judge also claimed that TPS recipients were more educated, more involved in the workforce, and less likely to commit crimes than American citizens. 
Chen said that the TPS recipients “have higher education attainment than most U.S. citizens (40-54% have bachelor degrees), have high labor participation rates (80-96%), earn nearly all their personal income (96%), and annually contribute billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and pay hundreds of millions, if not billions, in social security taxes. They also have lower rates of criminality than the general U.S. population.”
In response to Chen&#8217;s decision, Trump border czar Tom Homan <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907037653368709390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that TPS status was meant to be temporary, not a “decades-long” program. Homan said the ruling was based on an &#8220;activist judge&#8217;s&#8221; opinion. 
“President Trump is going to do his job by rule of law. The law says temporary status,” Homan told Fox News. “Once the conditions change, then people should be removed from the United States. It’s only a temporary status.&#8221;

US-VENEZUELA-CRISIS-POLITICS-MIGRATION

Judge Says Trump Admin Must Keep Biden-Era Program Shielding Venezuelans From Deportation

Biden Administration

San Francisco

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt unloaded on a reporter who asked, during a Monday press gaggle, whether President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration was profiling and detaining alleged gang members based solely on their clothing.
The reporter asked about the criteria being used by the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to positively identify those associated with violent Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua — many of whom are being targeted for deportation to a Salvadoran prison under the Alien Enemies Act — and noted that certain tattoos, symbols, and clothing items were a part of that list.
WATCH:
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🔥HOLY SMOKES! White House <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karoline Leavitt just TORCHED a &quot;reporter&quot; for claiming that illegal immigrants are being PROFILED and deported for nothing more than their clothing choice:
&quot;That&#39;s not true, actually&#8230;Have you talked to the agents who have been putting… <a href="https://t.co/cz0pRLXQsh">pic.twitter.com/cz0pRLXQsh</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1906761416654143585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;That alone is enough to get someone classified as TdA and sent to El Salvador,&#8221; the reporter claimed, despite his own earlier acknowledgement that they had to meet eight separate criteria in order to be classified as such.
&#8220;That&#8217;s not true, actually,&#8221; Leavitt shot back.
&#8220;According to this document, it is,&#8221; he tried again.
&#8220;No, according to the Department of Homeland Security and the agents — have you talked to the agents who have been putting their lives on the line to detain these foreign terrorists who have been terrorizing our communities?!&#8221;
&#8220;TDA is a vicious gang that has taken the lives of American women!&#8221; Leavitt continued. &#8220;And our agents on the front lines take deporting these people with the utmost seriousness, and there is a litany of criteria that they use to ensure that these individuals qualify as foreign terrorists and to ensure that they qualify for deportation!&#8221;
&#8220;And the president made it incredibly clear to the American public that there would be a mass deportation campaign — of not just foreign terrorists, but also illegal criminal aliens who have been wreaking havoc on American communities,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And shame on you and shame on the mainstream media for trying to cover for these individuals — this is a vicious gang &#8230; this is a vicious gang that has taken the lives of American women!&#8221;

US-POLITICS-LEAVITT

Leavitt Takes No Prisoners In Battle With Reporter Over Gang-Member Deportations

Karoline Leavitt

Violent Crime

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that 17 more &#8220;foreign gang terrorists&#8221; identified as members of Tren de Aragua or MS-13 by the State Department had been deported to El Salvador.
Rubio’s <a href="https://www.state.gov/more-foreign-gang-terrorists-deported-out-of-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> comes as the administration has been locked in a battle with a federal judge over President Donald Trump’s ability to deport suspected members of gangs designated as terrorist networks. Rubio did not disclose who specifically had been sent to El Salvador but said some were guilty of murder and rape. 
“Last night, in a successful counter-terrorism operation with our allies in El Salvador, the United States military transferred a group of 17 violent criminals from the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 organizations, including murderers and rapists,” Rubio announced. “In order to keep the American people safe, President Trump designated the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. These criminals will no longer terrorize our communities and citizens.&#8221;
Rubio thanked El Salvador President Nayib Bukele for his “unparalleled partnership” with the United States to crack down on gang crime. 
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Last night, in a successful counter-terrorism operation with our allies in El Salvador, the United States military transferred a group of 17 violent criminals from the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 organizations, including murderers and rapists. 
In order to keep the American people…
&mdash; Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1906684174020284784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Bukele confirmed the operation and posted of the alleged gang members being escorted off a U.S. Air Force plane and brought into El Salvadoran custody. The video shows the men having their heads shaved and being thrown behind bars. 
“Last night, in a joint military operation with our allies from the United States, we transferred 17 extremely dangerous criminals linked to Tren de Aragua and MS-13,” Bukele said. “All individuals are confirmed murderers and high-profile offenders, including six child rapists. This operation is another step in the fight against terrorism and organized crime.”
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Last night, in a joint military operation with our allies from the United States, we transferred 17 extremely dangerous criminals linked to Tren de Aragua and MS-13.
All individuals are confirmed murderers and high-profile offenders, including six child rapists.
This operation… <a href="https://t.co/Tk1Xq7vnuB">pic.twitter.com/Tk1Xq7vnuB</a>
&mdash; Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1906703745158660177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Earlier this month, the Trump administration deported 250 suspected gang members to El Salvador. That action has been at the center of a subsequent legal battle as Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary order blocking the administration from deporting illegal migrants under the Alien Enemies Act. 
The Justice Department has invoked state secrets privilege in response to requests from Boasberg for more specifics on the flights. The DOJ told the judge that national security concerns prevent the administration from divulging more information on the deportations. 
On Friday, the DOJ <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-asks-scotus-to-review-judges-order-blocking-deportations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> the Supreme Court to intervene, saying that Boasberg threatened the &#8220;government’s sensitive negotiations with foreign powers” with his orders.

Salvadoran Government Receives 238 Alleged Members Of Criminal Organizations ‘Tren De Aragua’ and ‘MS13’

Rubio Says 17 More ‘Foreign Gang Terrorists’ Deported To El Salvador

Marco Rubio

MS-13 Gang

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